Jurassic Park: Paradigm Shift
by RichardLevine
Summary: This is my unofficial sequel to the original Jurassic Park Novels as written by Michael Crichton. It is a direct sequel to my previous work 'Chaos Theory. It is now 2006, 14 years after the Jurassic Park incident, and there are rumors that something has survived in an adventure that spans far beyond Costa Rica...into a Jurassic World.
1. Prelude: The Fall

(Circa 1989)

The seagulls clamored and shrieked as the large black ship slowly came into the harbor. From the shore, the deckhands could already be seen, getting the boat ready for the landing, and the unloading of the cargo. On the boat, it would seem very busy as well, almost like a hive of bees all milling about with a determined purpose. They had just come back from unloading supplies from Isla Nublar, but had been unable to finish doing so because of a tropical storm. There had been another boat that had been able to stay a bit longer, but ultimately it too was forced to turn back. Now that they were in Puntarenas, everyone on board was more then anxious to get off the boat before the storm hit here in the city as well.

The deckhand, Marco Gomez grumbled to himself as he opened the door to the lower level. Walking down the stairs, he fumbled with the flashlight, wondering why it had to be so dark in here. Really… well if he didn't want to keep bumping into things, it was probably better, considering the massive amounts of crap that they hadn't managed to leave behind at the island. He scanned the lower hold with his flashlight, swearing internally at the amount of stuff they had still to dispose of. There was a lot in here, and honestly the sooner they were done, the better. He had no intent in being caught out here in the storm, he knew he had to rush to shelter, even if it was all night in a bar-which might not be that bad actually.

Some of the cargo could be carried out easily, and again he breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that there would be nothing in here that needed more then one man to carry out. Boxes labeled with the words 'laboratory equipment-do not drop", and other packages that he presumed contained beakers or other such items as they might need in whatever the hell it was the gringos were doing on Isla Nublar-The Island of Clouds. He got to work, realizing that the fact that this was a one man job, meant that here would be no one to relieve him out here, most likely. It was all up to him, for better or worse, really. One at a time, he picked up the packages, and took them to the upper deck where they would then be placed by another deckhand into the truck waiting at the end of the dock. The rest of the deckhands seemed to have already gone by now, with the exception of the other one who was helping out at the far end.

Not that Gomex much blamed them-he could already feel the twinge of the rain in his walks topside, so he knew he still had to be quick. But it was tiresome work, as the protective covers over the cargo had not yet all been taken down. In some areas of the hold, it was almost as if it were a tent city in there, with how much of it was being covered. Sometimes he would even take a sheet away, to realize it only covered the bridge between two packages. He even imagined he heard the coverings falling, their rustle obvious against the confines of the hold. Well, the winds had started blowing and the boat was already rocking a bit. He was not surprised that they should already be slipping off. Not in the least, actually. It made it more imperative to him that he should be getting the covers off, before the storm hit and possibly damaged the goods.

The boat was rocking a bit more now, and he wondered if he should just go. He was almost done except for some things left in the back. Maybe if he were lucky, he would be able to convince the other guy to pick up where he left off. The man had seemed the gullible sort, maybe he could get in to the bar before the storm hit. He went topside again, and frowned. The packages from the trip before were still there, that was odd. No sign of the man either, just the pouring rain, and the truck waiting on the dock. "Come out, you lazy asshole," damn this wasn't funny. Gomez was aching to get home, he really was, and was getting soaking wet standing out here in the rain.

Maybe the lazy bastard was standing there talking to the truck driver. He thought that was a possibility, as an opportunity for the guy to try and 'expand' his social circle, what ever the hell that really meant. He bent down and grabbed the packages, and turned around upon hearing something behind him. Nothing but the wind, the rain, and the clattering of the moorings against the rail though. Was he imagining things? Possibly, very possible he was. He shook his head again, and took a breath as he walked down the ramp, and came near the truck. He slammed the packages down in the back of the truck; he could already see the truck driver's head through the window. Well, it seemed he was partially right.

The other deckhand was slumped against the door of the truck, as if he were in deep conversation. Gomez felt his anger rising as he walked through the rain, and placed his hand on the man's shoulder. "Time to get back to work, lazy ass," he said as he shook the man. There was no initial response, and he turned him around, to be met by a remarkable lack of resistance. The other man slumped to the ground, where the headlights of the truck illuminated his form. A dark gash across his back, seemed to be a deep one too, and by the looks of how much blood there was on him, the man's death must have been near instantaneous. Gomez looked up, seeing the lights of the city in the near distance. But the harbor was mostly inactive at this time of night…there was no real guarantee that he would find help out here.

Clearly it was a matter for the police, but he had to be sure that there was nothing suspicious that could lead to him. Turning, he opened the passenger door, hoping to see if the driver was willing to help him out. Maybe he had seen whoever had attacked the fellow deckhand. As he opened the door, he heard a groan. He also felt a rush of wind and realized that the back window that connected the driver's area and the cargo area was open. His mouth fell open as he realized the driver was not in his seat. Rather he was sprawled on his side, as if trying to reach the passenger door. On top of him, there were two or three lizards, who craned their necks to look at him. As he stared, Marco realized that they were standing on their hind legs, and their necks were longer than that of a normal lizard. He stepped back, as he realized one of them had a piece of ragged cloth in its mouth, while the other appeared to have a bit of blood dribbling down its...beak?

In horror, he realized that the driver had not been able to get out because the body of the other deckhand had been blocking his exit. He stepped back again, feeling the jingle of the keys in his pocket. How far was it to the parking lot? He needed to report this to the police, there would be a lot of trouble explaining what the hell had gone on in here. More trouble than he wanted really, but that was just the sort of shit that was happening tonight it seemed. But first, he would have to get the damn lizards off the truck driver. If there was a knife wielding maniac out there somewhere, he wanted at least someone to confirm to the authorities that it wasn't he who was at fault here.

Gomez got up to the driver's side, trying to shake the other man awake. He was a bit faint, and the lizards didn't move from his approach. They gave him the creeps, like they were not scared. "Get the hell away from him!" Gomez yelled as he lunged forward, waving them away. The lizards looked at him calmly, but backed away a bit. He pulled the other man partially up, and looked at him. There were bite marks on his face and hands… the man didn't look like he was fully awake, and his breathing was shallow and raspy. "What the hell…" Gomez muttered as he looked and saw the other lizard had jumped on the dashboard, and was now coming towards him. It tried to peck at his hands, but he got his fingers away from the steering wheel just in time. Meanwhile, he looked and saw that the other lizard was tugging at the man's cheeks.

It took only a second, but he understood. Whatever this man had been attacked by, it hadn't been the same thing that had murdered the other deckhand. Gomez looked up briefly; saw that there were several car lights still visible. It was probable that he could try and redirect their attention, and he promptly slammed his hand down on the horn. The lizards did not seem as if they were used to the noise, and recoiled as if in shock. Marco tried to brush them away from the truck driver, noticing faint white foam at the small tears in the man's cheeks. There was a noise outside, indistinct, but he turned to look to see what appeared to be a dark shadow. He squinted, noticing that the shade seemed to be over the body of the fallen man.

He drew his hand back from the steering wheel suddenly, as he felt the nip on his fingers. The lizard was right there- a bit of blood dribbling down from his index finger, as well as its beak. Well, that was enough of that. He honked the horn again, sweeping his arm suddenly, sending the two lizards to the ground. He opened the door, seeing the lights swerve from the passing street, onto the parking lot. He began to wave his flashlight around, so hopefully the authorities could see this. Just as he saw the headlights of the car get closer though, something bumped him in the night. Gomez fell, feeling the bare end of something scaly and reptilian just elude his fingers as he did so.

As he began to get up, the headlights from the car illuminated him, and he blinked. It was a police officer, staring at him, gun drawn. Marco looked down and realized he had landed on the dead body of the other deckhand, whose wound was obvious. But also… his shirt was covered in the blood of the other man due to the fall. He held his hands up as the cop began to radio for backup, taking a look to the side, and realizing that of course the green lizards were now gone. Of course they were gone… Gomez thought to himself. What happened next seemed to proceed with a bit of inevitability, at least in his opinion.

As more cops showed up, Gomez stared out at the now illuminated dock. His hands were cuffed behind his back, and he winced as the other deckhand was taken out in a stretcher. The paramedics were over at the truck for what seemed like the longest time, but finally they carted him into the ambulance as well. They were reading him his rights, telling him he had the right to remain silent. "Is he dead? Tell me is he dead?" Gomez said, shaking his head, not wanting to believe the only other witness to that night was now out of it. They only scowled at him, shaking their heads.

"You son of a bitch, you put him into a coma." A coma… so no help would be coming there. Marco frowned as the car began to make the u-turn to get out of the parking lot. As the Cops awaited the line of cars to finish moving out, the car was stalled beside the water drainage next to the docks. It was illuminated thanks to how many people were searching, but there was something else. Marco's eyes widened as he saw them, the two green lizards walking calmly into the sewer duct. The car window was half open, and he could hear them. Chirping like birds.


	2. Prelude: The Depths

Prelude: The Depths  
(Circa 1989)

The detective nodded to the two policemen as he walked in between them to enter the door. He knew he couldn't spend a lot of time here, visiting hours were only an hour or two, and you were monitored constantly. But this might be his only chance now, before the man he sought was transferred into a different prison, one that had stricter security protocols, especially regarding visitors. He had checked in his jacket at the door though, so this had all be damn well worth it. If there was one thing that Thomas Finn got extremely pissed about, it was when he was sent on goddamn wild goose chases for nothing. His time and money were valuable, and one day he knew even his clients would be made aware of that fact as well.

He took a look at the guard, and sat down on one side of the two-way glass, tapping his fingers while waiting for the man to be led into the room. It was an interesting case, he thought to himself, one that had featured in the newspapers for a few days, and then interestingly disappeared just as quickly. The man tried behind closed doors and tossed into prison without the results of the trial being made public. The only reason that Finn even was on this case was because of the family of the Truck Driver, they had hired them to find out what happened to their son, why he was now in a permanent coma that everybody knew he was never going to get out of. Senseless, senseless.

The man was led into the room, and forcibly sat down by two officers. Finn looked up at them nodding to let them know that it was okay, they could talk alone now. The officers didn't move, even though the visitor and the prisoner were separated by glass. Finally, Finn accepting that they weren't going to leave, picked up the phone, and watched the other man do so as well. He got his first real look at the man then. Scruffy looking, mid-twenties he would guess-the sort that would look for easy work in the docks. Didn't seem like the type to attack two people, leaving one dead and one in a coma, but then again you could never tell with people.

"You know why I'm here," he said staring at the man, his voice flat. "I've just got a few questions for you, and then you can go back to whatever the hell it was that you were doing." Honestly, he normally wouldn't let himself get into cases like this, but the money the family had been willing to offer him had been substantial. And for some reason, the judge had blocked familial visits, the only way he'd been able to arrange this little visit was by showing his private investigator badge to prison officials. Even then, he still didn't know how much time he had. "I suggest you start talking, or give me some clue as to why you did these things." Since a conviction had been reached, it was not guilt that the family had been trying to ascertain. It was motivation, or a reason for the man to suddenly attack his co-workers like that.

The man only stared forward, looking first to his right, and then to his left. The two officers did not appear to have moved, but there was no telling how much they were listening in to the conversation. "Senor, we're being recorded." He finally said, no doubt surprised to see a gringo get involved in his case. "I can't give answers to something I didn't do," he said though, and Finn felt a bit of disappointment. If he couldn't come back with a valid motive, no payment. He was not in the mood to hear a denial. "I can't tell you what I saw either…they're listening." His eyes seemed a bit feverish, as if he was truly scared of something; Finn had no idea of what. Great. So he wasn't going to get any answers he was hoping for…perhaps he could try and press him a bit further though.

"Listen, the family wants a bit of peace, just wants to know why you did it." Being honest was something that sometimes worked, he had no idea of it could work this time, but it was certainly worth a shot here. "So your goddamn paranoid that they are watching your every move… at least give me some sort of hint, tell me something I can follow up on, that will give me an answer." He pretended to check his wristwatch, hoping to try to get the guy to get a move on, hopefully give him something he could follow up on. He also needed an answer quick, before the guy at the front gate heard back from the judge's office and it was confirmed he wasn't really the man's lawyer.

"I can tell you one thing Senor," the deckhand said, his eyes shifty as somewhere a bell rang. End of visiting time? Either way, the two officers had their hands on the man's shoulder already. "It looks like time's up. When you got to go, you got to go. Same with every business." The man suddenly replaced the phone, and then stood up. Finn stood up as well, watching the man's eyes as he was led back beyond the visitor's area, back to his cell. These last words had been…odd. He got up, and hastily made his exit, walking normally as he made his way to the parking lot. He tried to think, but the last words really rang in his head. Suddenly, he was able to make sense of it, and it was as if his eyes were suddenly opened.

The last two sentences had been a clue; they went together, not merely throwaway lines. He started his engine; he had a few stops to make. First off to his office, he needed to get the required items for his task. But if he was right about his hunch, it was worth investigating, and he was the sort that would go the distance for that last bit of evidence, if it increased the size of his paycheck.

-

Finn shut off the engine as he pulled the car over to the side. It was about a block up the street from the docks there the incident had occurred. Even getting out, he could see the area was still cordoned off, and a police presence. For such an apparently open and shut case, he wondered why that should be so. He turned to the side, nodding to his assistant, Ramone- a local who worked for him at the office sometimes. The other man got out as well, and opened the back, and began to take out the supplies they would need. Finn had what he needed in hand already, a crowbar, and a flashlight, thought that should be sufficient for his needs.

They had parked next to a manhole, some distance from the port. However, it should still be connected to the same drains, if his guess was right. Gomez's remark to him had been a clue to the sewers, coded in an Americanism that the guards wouldn't get. The thing about deckhands, they were exposed to more cultural influences then most people realized, and would have picked it up easily. From there, he had checked the city plans from the public records, and confirmed that there was indeed a sewer drain at the docks, and that had been the piece of the puzzle he needed. Somewhere in this maze of the sewers, was the evidence that would prove the man's motive to the trucker's family, and Finn would cash in on his payday.

He leaned over the manhole, making sure that the view from the street was being blocked by his car. Ramone had already tied a lengthy piece of rope to a nearby street sign, and had it ready for when they were able to make the descent. Grunting, Finn pried open the manhole, and with Ramone's help, placed it under the car so that it would not be able to be replaced easily. Nodding, they tossed the rope down first, gave it a few tugs to make sure it would hold, and then first Finn, then Ramone descended into the darkness. There was a brief transition, and Finn turned his light on, and was amazed at how gloomy it was down here, really was a shit hole, literally and figuratively.

He stepped to the side, feeling the splash of the puddles underneath his feet. Clicking on his flashlight, he saw the sewer system was dank and grimy, a small stream in the center of the shaft, bordered by a cement walkway along the right side of it, which they were standing on. Finn turned back to the shaft, saw a few rusted iron rings protruding out of the concrete. Quickly, he tied the other end of the rope to the shaft so that he could find it again. Then he turned and got his bearings down here. Looking down the shaft, he realized that must be the way towards the port, where the water was flowing. It was too close to the ongoing investigation, so he figured he would not go that way.

There should be two outlets, he thought, one for the water to drain out into the port, and one to act as a level to maintain the height of the water in the harbor. He directed his assistant to search the lower channel, as the two of them crouched down. Yes, he could see it. The thin trickle going against the current, but still strong enough to carry an item, a small item like a note perhaps? Anything was possible, and with a grunt, Finn jumped down to the muddy lower level, noting that there was a slow incline through which they could climb back up again. As Ramone also made it down, they began looking for anything even slightly out of place; it would help tremendously when trying to figure out what evidence to look for.

They walked for a few minutes in the darkness, their flashlights sweeping the area. Finn didn't want to get too far away from the car, but that was why he had his crowbar with him, just in case he needed to pry the manhole cover up from below. He was looking in the gloom, and didn't see anything, at least nothing beyond the usual crap that a city would normally produce. "Do you see anything yet? Could be a crumpled up note, license plate-anything at all," he advised Ramone, wanting to be done quickly. If the evidence had washed up this way, it could not have gone far, considering the current. He didn't see how it could have disappeared honestly.

"Something is odd, Senor," Ramone pointed out as he shone his own flashlight across the floor. "Note here, and here…" There were apple cores and some waste from the normal sewage of the city washed up on the dry portion of the bank, directly next to the little stream. "No rats, no droppings nearby. And there is a strange fetid odor in the air, it is not caca." Finn narrowed his eyes, as he thought what this might mean. A chemical that had been dropped from the boat that had been filtered up to his level? It was possible, but he didn't think that was the real reason. He shone his flashlight again, noting more piles of both human and food waste, but again, no rat droppings, nor were thei any noises of rats skittering around.

As Finn swept his flashlight down, he thought he saw a glint of something reflecting off of his light, and so he crouched down to get a better look. "Go on ahead," he said to Ramone as he fished in the muck with his crowbar to try and get a hold of the item, whatever it was. The sound of the man's footsteps could be heard off into the gloom, as Finn dredged it up. A silver-plated ring, just by itself, any traces of evidence washed clear by the flow of the sewer water. Finn pocketed it, figuring that if the victims had no ring after questioning the family again, it would add nicely to his payday. Getting back up again, he noticed he could no longer hear the sound of his assistant.

Figuring the man was already far ahead of him, Finn began walking. A few minutes passed, and he began to notice that there were still no signs of rodent crap, also the stench was getting slightly larger. He wondered if there was a buildup of some shit ahead, probably responsible for the smell. Would also make sense if his assistant were having trouble getting around it, it would be a pain in the ass…"I'm coming dammit," he said more to himself then to anybody else. But a buildup like that would probably be where his search would end, probably due to it being impossible for the water to flow any more that way. That was good; he was tired of this shit-the sooner he was out of here the better-  
What the hell? There was a crack, and he felt something give way underneath his foot. Swinging his flashlight's beam down, he dredged down in the muck for whatever it was, and tossed it onto the dry portion. A femur…it was a human femur he realized. A panic swept him, as he turned his flashlight down again, this time landing on the torn remains of a shirt that was almost being swept away by the feeble current. He could see a faded logo on it, labeling as some sort of sanitation worker. He would have thought that this had been left behind by someone who had fallen in the muck and couldn't get up-that is if the shirt hadn't several large tears down the front side, a dark stain around each of them.

Taking a deep breath, Finn's flashlight shone back up in the gloom after he took the time to throw both the bone and the shirt up into the cement walkway. He would report these later, but for now, he had to find his assistant. "Ramone, you there?" He asked cautiously, realizing the man may have freaked out. "It's only a dead body, it can't hurt you," he said. He could hear a sound down the direction the flashlight was in, but could not detect any movement at all. Steps heading his direction, and he walked towards them, expectantly. "Just follow the light, it's okay I think we'll call this off for another day if you're not up to it-" He paused, nearly stumbling across some bulky object.

Finn had been focused so much on what was going on directly in front of him that he had not been paying attention to his side. He shone his flashlight again, and let out a yell with what he saw. Ramone was leaning against the concrete barrier, his face ashen with fright, and there was a dark stain on his shirt. There was no movement coming from him, nor could Finn detect any breathing. Whatever had gotten him had struck before he even had a chance to move. The wound appeared deep, instantly fatal, although he was not able to figure out what the nature of the wound was exactly. He didn't have time to examine the wound thoroughly, for he heard steps coming toward him.

Barely having time to step to the side, he got a brief glimpse of some large, bulky figure brush past him in the gloom. He flashed his light where the figure had gone, and saw what appeared to be a body as large as a man's, he couldn't tell the color in the gloom, but it seemed to be an animal, it's skin almost reptilian. It turned halfway, sensing the light apparently, and facing him. Finn stepped back again, seeing the outline of a head that reminded him of a crocodile somewhat, leathery skin and all. He could barely see any other details, except maybe a strong, powerfully built body, with a sturdy tail. It gave him the creeps as he saw it turn its head at him, like it was not scared.

Instinctively he tightened his grip on his crowbar, as he stepped to the side. The animal followed him with its eyes, never blinking. Then without warning, it lunged, and Finn felt himself being driven to fall back due to the creature's bulk. He held his grip onto his flashlight and crowbar though. Came in useful for when the animal then attempted to snap at him, revealing a row of sharp teeth. Finn held the crowbar in between his hands, only barely keeping the animals jaws inches away from his face. He grunted with exhaustion as he looked down, the flashlight illuminating the rest of the animal. On it's feet and hands there appeared to be sharp claws, on its feet, were claws that could only be described as like a dagger.

He saw the animal was frustrated at being unable to bite him, and was now raising one of its claws. He kicked out, once twice at the animals underside, and the creature screeched in pain. Now both of his hands were free, and Finn dragged himself into an upright position rather rapidly. Swinging blindly, he felt the crowbar connect with the animal's head, the sound resonating in this echo chamber. He got up on his feet again, trying to use the momentary pause to try and find the concrete walkway. But a snarl told him the creature was right beside him- he nearly fell over as he felt a jerk on his hand. The animal had attempted to get him to fall over by biting the crowbar!

Finn let go at the last second, letting the animal have it. However, as the creature shook the crowbar in its jaws, Finn ran to the walkway, frantically climbing up. He grunted, hearing the animal bearing down after him, and the clang of the crowbar upon the floor. He hauled himself over, just barely as he heard the animal's jaws snap behind him. "Can't get me now," he taunted as he took a few steps, flashing his light in the opposite direction. He was just wanting to get the hell out of here now, that was all he really wanted. He began walking at a slow pace, at least until he heard a crash behind him. Then another snarl. It took a few seconds for him to realize that the animal had jumped the distance from the floor of the sewer to the walkway- about five feet in height.

He began to run then, hearing the crash of footsteps behind him. He felt nothing but naked fear, of not knowing what it was that was pursuing him. His flashlight in front of him, as he looked frantically for the rope that was to be his ticket out. He had walked slowly to get to his previous point, so it shouldn't really be that far. Still, he had better hurry, considering he could feel the hot breath of the animal behind him. He saw the rope, and dove for it, dropping the flashlight as he did so. His feet were climbing up the rusted rungs of the ladder, and even as he climbed, he could hear the scrape of metal against claws. Was this creature actually capable of climbing? He knew not, but didn't want to find out.

He felt a tug on his shoes as he climbed, realized it must be the animal with his shoe in its mouth. He kicked down with his other foot, thanking that he had thought to not tie his shoe tightly that morning. As it was, the animal's grip was strong enough he could wriggle his way out. He clambered out of the manhole, and immediately dove for the bottom of his car. Grabbing the manhole cover, he could see the animals claws already out. Then it's head. He had one brief, horrible glimpse of its head as he realized that with the rope in place he had no chance to properly secure the manhole cover. He tugged on the rope then, jerked it to the side.

The creature bit down with its crocodile-like snout on the rope almost instinctively, the force being enough to severe the connection between the ropes. Finn then gave it a swift kick to the side of the head just at that moment, the combined force sending it dropping down. He wasted no time, hearing the sound of claws against metal again, Thomas Finn slammed the manhole cover down, panting heavily. He could still hear a few horrible scrapes of the claws, but thankfully it couldn't get out. As he stood up, he realized that his shirt had been torn open, and he was bleeding from his shoulder.

Well at least he would be able to recover from it; Ramone would never get the chance. Fishing his keys from the jeans pocket, Finn realized that the evidence was not something that would ever be believed. Still taking deep breaths as he started up the car, all he wanted to do was get to his apartment and lock the door, far away from any monsters. But then suddenly realization struck him, and he popped open the glove compartment again, taking out the map of the sewer plans. He followed the exits with his finger, trying to see where they drained out to in the opposite end.

The edge of town,…the forest… no man's land.


	3. New Order

(Circa 2006)

Richard Levine looked out at the expanse of grass set before him, how the tallest clumps reached up to his knees and all of it felt unkempt and untamed. It stretched around for as far as he could see, the wind blowing the few standing trees visible in the sea of grass too and fro at will. He sighed as he surveyed this seemingly idyllic scene, and stepped forward into the tall grass. Miles from anywhere, which was the idea, of what it was supposed to look like at least he thought. In actuality, he had no idea really of what the game was, or of what anything was really now.

To his right there was a long fence, stretching also as far as the eye could see. The seemingly endless plain of grass terminated there abruptly, so that it was almost like a barrier between two worlds. Which in a sense, is exactly what it was. The wall was about thirty to forty feet tall, and five feet thick. It was made out of concrete and reinforced with industrial grade steel. Paradise could be enclosed; they did it all the time in zoos. Except this was not a zoo. Far from it. The lessons of the past had taught the makers of this place that much, not to try and replicate them too much. But apparently, if the situation were altered just a bit, perhaps the outcome might be as well.

Levine knew that there was little that he could do about the situation, but the truth was that he was just damned tired. His sweat streaked down past his stubble as he made his way further down the plain, towards the long wall. He hadn't actually thought they were capable of building something like this, or rather, that such a thing would have been able to be kept secret from the outside world. But if there had been a way to create Sorna and Nublar, surely there must have been a way to make this place undetected. As he came closer to the wall, he saw a thin line of barbed wire at the top, surely useless unless…his eyes squinted as he took out his binoculars as he saw something glint in the afternoon sun. That was most definitely not his imagination; he didn't think it was his mind playing tricks on him.

Small antennae evenly spaced every hundred or so feet along the rim of the wall. So that's what it was, he thought as he put the binoculars back, putting the information in the back of his mind. The walk had exhausted him, but he had other things to worry about. He was in a whole shitload of trouble; he could figure that part easily enough. The odd part was that he could be swept along, this fast, this quickly, all because he had been careless. That had been his fatal flaw, his undoing in the end. It was his fault really, for allowing himself to be put into that position where he had trapped himself, and now he was in a hole even being back on his own soil couldn't fix.

But he had to worry about that later, because right now he was really too damned tired to be burdened with that. Right now, it felt like his legs were on fire, and also too he was fatigued mentally. The past three days he had been tasked with surveying the place, but that wasn't their real intent he knew. He was meant to be awed by the grandeur, the enormity of this place, and in a sense, he knew that they had won already in that respect. They had resources. Time, and money could buy almost anything; the possibilities were nearly endless with this. It was a vast reserve, the walls extending all around it, in the middle of nowhere. Levine didn't even have the advantage of knowing where he was, only that it was empty….that was the other part Levine didn't like. Why build an empty, gated reserve for something that was empty?

It all led back to Costa Rica, he was sure of it, he didn't like they game 'they' were playing, and still wondered what their ultimate purpose was. Money? That's usually what everything boiled down to in the end, but all the same… He had to be careful here, there were too many unknowns. Levine was a man of science; he couldn't deal with the unknown, only hard scientific facts really. And for him to be thrust into this was annoying him to no end really, and he was mad as hell. But it went down to Costa Rica, because he had been impulsive again, and had paid the price for it, for being impulsive again. It was only to be expected really.

It was time to face facts, he was in a situation of his own making, and it was going to be hard as hell to pull himself out of this shithole. However, he thought as he walked, that maybe this wasn't so bad. He could see a break in the grass, parted by a dirt road. The road stretched out into the beyond, so he just turned around to focus on the other direction the road was heading. Towards the wall. Intrigued, Levine walked towards it, and once he crossed its path, continued walking down it. He was heading towards the wall, and he realized what this meant. That there must be a door out of here, a doorway somewhere. Funny, from the inside there was no visible sign of a door, just a blank face on that wall, but he supposed that there must be something he wasn't seeing from where he was standing.

There was a door, and from where he was, he could see a thin crease of light. Yes, any door that size should have a crease, so maybe he would be able to see outside to where he was. But then Levine stopped, as he got closer, he saw the camera positioned a few feet from the top. So two things, one they were watching him. And second, immediately below that must be the door. He swallowed and sighed, realizing that there was no escape. Not that they were holding him, but that it was something as much his fault. Dammit, he should've expected it though, that they would be waiting for him. He heard a rumbling, and knew that it was the doors opening. The seam grew gradually larger as the doors opened the light from beyond stunning him for a second.

He heard a low rumbling, and saw several vehicles drive slowly through the opened doors. He quickly stepped to the side, as several drove past him, out into the park. Large trucks, towing what appeared to be modified horse trailers, although he couldn't really tell. They drove off into what he presumed to be a clearing, although he couldn't see that far. Behind them were several jeeps, clearly with unfinished insignia, as they looked as if they had not even passed the design stage with them. He could see the figures inside them looked serious, as they followed the trailers. He had no idea what the hell they were even doing, and he didn't care. But then another one came along, and he saw that it was the last car in the line, an open top jeep.

Driving the car was a familiar man, one whom he had the displeasure of knowing these past few years. "So you finally came to pick me up, Rossiter," he said coolly to the bearded man driving the jeep. He thought he had little choice since the door was closing behind him so he might as well get in the car. The man opened the passenger door for him, and Levine got in, shrugging his shoulders. "Why the hell was it necessary to make me walk out here for three days?" He thought he deserved answer, or at least a partial answer on this. His patience only had so many limits, and even with these people-dealing with Biosyn, he still needed to keep his cool.

There was no telling what these people might do even now. He had seen what they were capable of…this place would have required resources even more so than his own company would have been capable of. The man he was talking to laughed, as if barely acknowledging his annoyance. He merely shook his head as if trying to hold something back, but by the grin on his face he could tell he had the superior position. "Why not, Richard?" He asked, an irritating familiarity creeping into his voice. "We needed to show you the scope of this place, its simply not the sort of thing you can try and explain with a PowerPoint." They continued following the modified trailers, and Levine noticed that several of the trailers were splitting off, each followed by their own train of jeeps.

"We're doing something here that pales in comparison to what you've experienced before. This place cost a fortune, but you know what? We decided to spare no expense." Levine cringed at this; he remembered these exact words, in the deposition from the Nublar incident. Seemed these people really were determined, although he still had no idea of the scope of their idea he was sure. Even after all this time, he found himself in the dark as to their plans. "See up ahead? We're following the leader, and you'll want to see what we got in store for you." Levine looked up, and noticed that not only was there only one horse trailer in front of them, but there were a train of jeeps behind them.

Levine couldn't help but admit they had got his curiosity, but now they had his attention. He looked up, trying to determine where the hell they were driving off to now. He could see a clearing up ahead, but had no way to determine if that was to be their intended destination or not. He hated to admit it, but the man had the better of him at the moment, and he was outnumbered badly. He was there for the ride, and so took a bottle of water that was in the cup holder and began to drink. He was very thirsty and tired, so he thought he might as well rest. They were almost to the clearing now, and he saw there were some distance away from the wall by now, but the clearing was situated in the middle of an expanse wide enough, for the various jeeps to make a semi-circle around it, as they were doing now. His Eyebrows rose, as he was very curious about what they were going to do.

He wasn't going to lie; part of him had the sinking feeling that it was something he already knew the answer to. His suspicions were confirmed, as there was a gap between the jeeps, in which the large trailer backed up into just barely ahead of the others. A man got out of the passenger seat of the truck towing the trailer, and began walking. Immediately, the other jeeps were emptied, and Richard Levine could see that the occupants were helmeted, with what appeared to be stun guns in their hands. He leaned forward, ignoring the grin that Rossiter was sporting, breathing heavily, as he figured it out. It made sense, it made a lot of sense actually, why hadn't he thought of it before.

He stood up, crushing the water bottle in his hand, as he opened the passenger seat door, trying to get a better look. The man opened the door on the trailer, and quickly stepped back. As soon as he did, every one of the workers began to slowly level their weapons. He noticed that the jeeps were moving out, so that it now changed from a circle to a parabola, leaving a clear opening. But now it was a line of people, all waiting. There was a soft thud, and then another, and Levine wondered what might be making that noise. "Lights on!" Rossiter yelled suddenly, and Levine was nearly blinded by the glare from all of the jeep lights at once, forming a solid arc around the trailer now.

He was intrigued beside himself, and he leaned forward as nobody else moved. Why was nobody moving? Looking at Rossiter's face, he got no response, only saw that the man's eyes were strangely fixed on the trailer. Then he turned around and saw it. Something was coming out of the trailer, now being visible into the daylight. It came out slow, and he heard a baleful sound, which sounded horrifically familiar. It brought back memories, and his jaw fell open. Standing in the centre of the circle, there stood a large animal, it's two upright legs betraying its bipedal nature as it looked around in confusion. Levine stood up in the jeep, removing his glass to better observe the animal because the flashes from the jeep were obscuring its size and shape.

Despite his confusion and anger, the scientist side of him took over and began making observations as he watched. Seven feet tall, basic Therapod body form. It's colors were undulating rapidly, no doubt to its confusion being exposed to all of the different lights. Understandable, this was a grassy plain with no trees in sight, and it was being surrounded by all of these lights. Far different from the last time, back in Ismaloya as he recalled, it was practically a world apart really. But there was no mistaking it, from the size and shape, the basic body plan and especially the undulating colors…the animal in the centre of the circle was undoubtedly a _Carnotaurus Sastrei_, the same one that had nearly took his life these years ago.

The Carnotaur growled in visible agony at the lights, it clearly could not stand it for any length of time. The dinosaur attempted to step forward, but the lights flashed faster, causing it to step back, growling in frustration. "How did you…?" Levine was at a loss for words, suspicions growing in his head. Things like Rossiter being in Costa Rica, and then the fact that the village had been quarantined before others were allowed in. It all didn't add up, he knew, and was as suspicious as hell. "You don't…there's any way you could have figured this out!" Rossiter smiled a bit, and got out of the car, leaving Levine standing on the passenger seat. The animal turned around and growled, as between the rows of cars flashing the lights, workers began to climb out of the passenger seats, and each carrying shock prods with extremely long handles.

The Carnotaur began to retreat, growling, as it was not used to seeing so many of them approaching it like that. One of the shock prods touched the Carnotaur once, and the animal howled. Behind it, the Truck containing the trailer moved, to leave a clear space behind the semi circle. The animal continued backing away, turning as it did so. Levine gasped, as he felt his stubble, feeling older now. "Look familiar doesn't he?" Rossiter taunted as he began walking in front of the jeep, staring at the animal. "You've seen this shit before, and we both know it." There was a look on his face, one which made Levine's face fall, as he sighed in frustration. They weren't going to say how they had got him, but somehow they had.

The Carnotaur began turning, now turned completely around. Behind it, the animal handlers were closing in on it with their prods, moving it forward. As Richard Levine looked around him, he could see other semi-circles far into the distance, with similar large vehicles. A sinking feeling hit him then, and he gasped out in bafflement. "What is this place?" He said as he looked around from his vantage point standing atop the passenger seat, seeing no end to the plain. "How big is this anyway it can't really be that big can it…?" Rossiter only gave him a grin, as the Carnotaur finally began to trot out from the semi-circle, agitated by the people that were harassing it.

"Three days, Richard and you think you saw everything. Not even close." Then the man smiled, that charming smile. "I'd say this is only…one small area, that you saw being stocked today." The two parts of the sentence froze Levine, as he took a breath as his feeling in his legs felt like it was going to disappear. Yes, he was very nervous, and felt like he should be at this stage in the game. Behind them, the animal handlers formed a line blocking the circle, and now were raising their guns, but not regular guns, large things that looked like amplifiers. He frowned, a memory coming back to him there. Yes, and it wasn't pleasant… not at all.

The Carnotaur roared in pain as it turned one last time, driven by the sound from the amplifiers as it ran through the field in the opposite direction. It's roars could still be heard off into the distance, as Richard Levine looked down at Rossiter, horrified beyond belief. "My dear Levine," Rossiter said as he got back into the jeep. Behind them the others were beginning to assemble back. "Do sit down, after all- this would never be possible without remembering the past." A smile crept over his features as he turned to look at Levine. "He paused for dramatic effect as Levine climbed back down, utterly dumbstruck. "This is only the beginning," Somewhere in the distance, the animal, roared again. "So I should say…of a new order, a brand new age of genetic engineering." Levine sat back down, utterly speechless.  
"John Hammond had a dream, and this is his new Legacy…. This time under the helm of Biosyn." A final roar, and then there was none.


	4. Uncharted Spaces

The crowd was silent as the speaker walked down from stage. They had already applauded for him, so they waited for the next one to be announced. It was a diverse and eclectic crowd, compromised of a crowd that was anxious and ready for the next person to take the stage. The men leafed through the programs, and around the stage, there were vendors and exhibitors. This was not just one seminar, but part of a series in the International Cryptozoology Convention. Held annually in the heart of Mexico City, at Centro Banamex, the largest convention center in Mexico. It was a gathering point for anyone who was even marginally interested in the study of what mainstream scientists considered largely a pseudeoscience.

There were these who were only there to peruse the vendor's wares, and for their own amusement. Journalists who needed an article at others expense, and also these who came because Cryptozoology bled into other items on the fringe, such as the supernatural or aliens. However, amongst the curiosity seekers, there were these who came determined to find out the latest developments in the field, and the latest techniques. It was these last, who made up the majority of the people attending this particular talk, and watched as the tall man made his way to the podium. Eyes followed him as he walked, noting within themselves that he didn't appear to meet their picture of a speaker in a venue such as this. But here he was, 'by invitation' and thus every soul in there was on edge, anxious to hear what he had to say.

Dressed in a scruffy jacket and appearing visibly gaunt, his face stippled with stubble, and his brow sweating with the frustration of a thousand sleepless nights. He was a man in his mid forties, although he could have easily passed for fifty. As he walked, there was a limp in his leg, and seemed that he had a tick about him that was almost imperceptible. He walked up to the podium, and cleared his throat as he tapped the microphone to check whether it was working. "Hello, my name is Thomas Finn," he said as he spoke out into the audience. "I realize this name isn't on your usual guest rotation for a convention, so I'll just keep my introduction brief…I was invited here by an anonymous benefactor, who prefers to keep himself or herself secret. "

"The topic of my conversation today, is a situation that many of you may be familiar with…" He coughed, and looked over his notes. There was a small titter from the crowd but he ignored it. "As we all walk through our daily lives, we travel through a variety of different habitats. City, forest, beach and desert. Barely passing them a second glance, we turn and go our separate ways, not considering the possibilities we pass by as we do," he said, looking up. Behind him, there was a powerpoint just starting up, and he fiddled with the controls as a screen of the various habitats he described were displayed behind him. The pictures appeared to be taken on location, and he could be seen in several of the shots.

"Science has established that most of the big discoveries have already been made, or if there are still things out there, that they are in the deepest and hardest to reach places," he said shuffling his notes. There was a murmer in the audience as several heads in the audience nodded. This was still very much within the expected range of subject matter, and some heads began to lift up to tear themselves away from reading the program. "We have scoured the deepest oceans, and the darkest jungles for new species, and in many cases we have found them, evidences of creatures that have walked the earth beside us, yet unseen." The slides slipped on, showing a beach with the caption 'Puntarenas-Cabo Blanco.'

"Yet although discoveries of magnitude are made in these locations, and frequently, there are yet places that we ignore in our pursuit of the unknown," Finn coughed, changing the slide again, showing a picture of a coastal village, the caption reading-'Bahia Anasco'. Unoticed to the majority of the people, one man in particular near the front seemed to stir when hearing this. As he sat up straight, others admonished him to remove his hat, which he did so upon their request, placing it on his lap. "I find it interesting that urban and rural reports have been neglected in the search for unknown species, it really is a trend that has much to offer in the field of study," Finn continued.

"Nearly two decades ago, there were records in coastal villages in Costa Rica that there were an unusual number of infant deaths. Now without access to medical care, that might have gone unremarked and considered as barely unusual…" Finn switched to the next slide, which showed a picture of a woman standing in a lab coat next to a helicopter, the coastal village in the background. "Doctors Without Borders sent a team of doctors to each village along the Costa Rican coast that year, trained medical professionals, and yet somehow the bitings continued," he said. "The cause of these incidents was said to be an animal utterly new to the region, since the symptoms of said bites were unknown and didn't match up with any known vector or pathogen."

"Strangely after six months, the incidents stopped, and the animals retreated…somewhere in the mountains." He stared out, as he looked out to them seeing their faces had returned to uninterested again. "However, that was not the end of the story," Finn said as he moved to the next slide, however before he was able to reveal it, a hand shot up from the audience. It was the man who had just removed his hat, and his head was turned to the side, his hand high up in the air. There was something in his eyes that struck Finn, as being somehow utterly driven. He couldn't quite explain it, but there was a feeling that he should let the man speak, and he nodded. "You had a question?"

"No…more like an observation," the man said. He stood up, and Finn could see this man was dressed as if he were out to take a Safari. He was wearing a short-sleeved Khaki with a brown vest, which was outfitted with various pockets. He looked like he could be fifty, although it was difficult to tell. Like a man who had aged, and seen many things but was still possessed of a strange youth that not many people had. His face seemed grim, but actually it was near unreadable, the emotions laying hidden beyond the surface like some ancient tome. "What does a story nearly twenty years ago have to do with the present? The reports were unsubstantiated, sent in by illiterate farmers and villagers. There are a thousand ways that they could have misinterpreted what they were seeing or experiencing."

The crowd was silent again, waiting to see how the speaker would deal with this challenge to his story. There began to be some slight huffs and hints of skeptiscm, common even to attendees of this event. Cryptozoology was a field that had to prove itself constantly, and the skeptics in their ranks were just one of the obstacles that they had to overcome. An unsubstantiated story was easy to fabricate, so much so that Finn's reports had met with all of the reaction if he'd said he'd met Big Foot. "Is there really any evidence for urban cryptids, or can you supply any? From what I've heard so far, all you got is a story two decades old, and not much else." The man sat back down, his arms crossed and looking up.

Finn felt his arms shaking a bit, not having anticipated an interruption like this. He had a vague feeling that if he didn't say something soon, there would be imitators coming to challenge him. "That's an excellent point," he said, trying not to falter. "I was about to say however, that for a while the reports died away, except for vague and unreliable rumors out of the jungles of Costa Rica." He saw the skeptical looks still on their faces. "However, there are still interesting links that we should all take note of," he said. He switched the powerpoint a bit forward, skipping past the one that he would have originally landed on. The picture was as dramatic as he thought he could get, a photo taken from a crime scene, which everyone in the audience gasped as they recognized.

It had been a high profile murder last year. A tourist in Acapulco had strayed from his hotel to take a leak in the bush, and had been found the next morning. Completely dismembered, and partially eaten. The press had a field day with it, and it was rumored that the case file had been sealed shut, the judge determining that the events of the case were too delicate for public perusal. It was also heavily insinuated that political pressure had forced the judge to seal the deal, barring any witnesses from saying anything about the case. "I was there…" Finn said, and saw the surprised titter from the crowd, and a police officer starting to move towards him. It was well known that there was a court injunction. "Not as a witness though, as a suspect, and the injunction said nothing about suspects talking," he said. The Fedrale stopped, looking up at him like he was crazy, then leaned against the wall, watching him to see what he would do next.

He had clearly sent some level of discomfort through the crowd as many of them began murmuring or whispering. Heads were shaking, and people were pointing at him. Only one man remained stoic and calm, and it was the man who had spoken up earlier, he seemed to have his eye fixed on Finn now more then ever, it was sort of disquieting actually. "How do I know this? Because I was there of course, the first person to find the body…" He found himself remembering, and it was unpleasant. And there was something else wasn't there? Something his mind was blocking, and he had no idea why. Whatever happened couldn't have been that bad could it? He had no idea really, if it was or not. Maybe the sheer shock had been what it took to wrest it from his mind…

It was something that he could see was plainly bothering the audience, so he decided to get to his point as quickly, and as concisely as he could. The police officer looked like he was conversing with a member of the convention staff too, so maybe he ought to try and wrap it up. "I can tell you that the coroner reported the wounds as either being caused by a backhoe, or an escaped zoo animal. Yet during that period there were no escapes from zoos, private collections, or circuses." He had a listing of the phone calls he had made, and there had been no record of any. "But that isn't what was most interesting about the case though," he said, getting ready to flip through the next powerpoint.

Just then, there was a 'click' and he saw that the power was off. There was a security man standing next to him, and behind him were two others, with the policeman on his cell phone. "Just step off the podium, _Senor_," the lead security man said, as he stared at him. Finn figured, after showing that image and bringing up that case, that his time might well have been limited to speak. He nodded, gathering his papers. However, he was not surprised to see that the security men stopped him from getting his flash drive. Sometimes small sacrifices needed to be made. So be it, the images on that drive had been copied from another one anyway. He was damned careful, especially when he needed to be.

He got down from the podium, and could hear the boos of the crowd. It was obvious they figured he was in some legal trouble, and that his entire story was bullshit. In fact there was already a convention representative at the podium as he walked away, apologizing for him, that next time they would screen their speakers better. It didn't matter, and as he walked away, he didn't see the man with the hat get up, and follow him. Shaking his head, Finn turned towards a concessions stand. Well, there went his paycheck. Last time he accepted an offer to speak at one of these things, especially since this sort of place was the last thing he wanted to be seen at. Let them talk about Big Foot and the Abominable Snowman. He actually had seen things with his own eyes, and that was all that counted.

He ordered two tacos and a coke, and sat down at a nearby table while he waited for his food. They couldn't bar him from the convention, but the politicians could make trouble for him if he returned. But so long as he understood he was to leave soon, probably wouldn't bother him. His food was ready, and he began to get ready to eat, and turned around to put the bowl down on the table. And the man in the hat was sitting down on the opposite side; his elbow on the table and very much watching him…it was slightly unnerving.

"Can I help you?" Finn said, putting his food down. It seemed he was having sort of a bad day already, and he had no wish to compound it. Neither did he want trouble from this man, and he just sighed. "You're that asshole who interrupted me," he said finally as he saw the hat, which was his main identifier for the man. "If there's something you want to know, why don't you ask them over there, the police would be happy to oblige, or show you the door." He wondered why this man should follow him out of the auditorium area, it really didn't make that much sense, and he wondered if it should really. There was something vaguely troubling, eating at the back of his mind.

"Mr. Finn…maybe you've wondered about why you're here at all?" The man asked him calmly, eyes never leaving him. Almost as if he was studying him, and that last bit was unnerving as much as he had to admit it was true. "True, they may not have appreciated what you were trying to say, probably because of the same old legal bullshit. Honestly, was that on purpose?" The man stared at him, gesturing over to where the security mean were leaving the stage area, and the computer man was resetting the powerpoint. "You seem like a very tired man, Mr. Finn-a thing many of the fellow people in the audience were commenting on." The man took a breath, as he shifted his weight to the other arm.

"Maybe I was, and maybe I wasn't." Finn said cautiously as he took a bite out of his tacos. It was an iffy thing, conversing with people that just came out of the blue. He had been damned careful the last few years, this convention thing being the most public thing he'd ever done. "So get to the point, what is it that you want of me mr…?" He was determined that he spend as little time here as possible. If he were going to waste time, it would be on his own terms, and not by anyone elses. He was positive of that, and sure that this man would not change anything. At least he was sure when he saw the Man standing up and putting his hat back on...

"Let me know if you change your mind," the man said as he tossed a business card onto the table. "Name's Muldoon, Robert Muldoon. And if you want to stop hiding and start living dangerously, maybe you should call that number." And then without another word, he walked away.


	5. A Line in the Sand

It was about ninety degrees outside, but for Thomas Finn the air conditioner was running full blast inside his Ford. Even so, the window was open and Finn was feeling the cool air upon his face. There was classic rock dissipating into the air outside, but he hardly was listening to it at all. His focus was only on the road, a map lying on the seat beside him, but ignored for the time being. It already had the destination and the route marked in red pen. There were no other cars on the road, it being particularly empty and barren. Occasionally he would see clouds in the distance, but for the most part, the sky was clear and unbroken.

He was close now, to his destination. Last week had been a waste of his time really, and he'd just done it for the money. It had netted him about two thousand American dollars, quite a lot here, especially in Mexico where the dollar far outweighed the Peso in terms of value. Enough to keep this old Ford running for quite some time, which was all he needed. Oil in the tank, and money for food, and that was about it. Still, he couldn't help but let his thoughts stray a bit as he drove. Who the hell would pony up that money just to hear him speak? His speech had been full of crap anyways, with outdated or dead ends thrown in there.

The exit sign was reading something about there being an exit in a few miles, and that was the one had had to take. He turned his car to the left lane so that he could get ready to make the turn when he had to. That was the most important thing anyways. It was desert country out here, right in the middle of nowhere. Quite the way he liked it actually, less attention being drawn to himself that way, most likely. Better that way in fact. He was almost there, about a mile to go really and that brought something into his head. There were a few houses as he approached the exit, not too many, There were a few copses of trees, and he could detect the faint shine of a stream in the far distance.

At the sign, he turned, seeing that there was still an empty street, and none to be seen. Now that he was off the highway, it was a bit of a meandering road. A Coyote scampered across the street in front of him, and he had slowed down somewhat now that he was able to slow down. There was a clearing up ahead, and he could see it, a small grove of trees, about ten to fifteen closely growing together, and he could see the stream feeding in close right through the middle of it. He felt a grin over his face as he slowed into the clearing, and applied the brakes. The car ground to stop, and he got out of the car. Slamming the passenger seat, he went around to the trunk. There were two cases in the back of the trunk, and he took them both out. Leaving the trunk open, he placed them both on the roof of the car, taking out a tripod from the long one, and setting it up in the dirt.

Opening the second case, he took out a scope, which he then turned to affix onto the top of the tripod. He maneuvered the scope so it was facing the trees, moving the tripod as close to the edge of the clearing as he thought was level ground. He maneuvered it through to face the copse again. He had scoped out and researched this area before, and he looked down at the dirt in the clearing. The only tread marks were from the Ford. Perfect, just perfect. He had it all to himself and most likely wouldn't be bothered. A nice isolate area like this, it was something he thought he really needed. He thought he was missing something and walked back to the trunk and took a book out, and took it with him, tossing it out onto the ground beside the tripod. That was okay; it was a hardcover so he didn't have to worry about it that much on the condition side.

Good thing he had been paying attention these past few times in the paper. Not the ones for Mexico City, or the Tourist towns…but more of the local newspapers, the village papers. Sometimes it paid to be subscribed to something on the order of twenty papers. Covered a good geographic range, and you got the full spectrum of the news that other people didn't get. Kids had been out here, drinking late at night. Got so plastered they could barely stand up straight. Then they had started hearing things, swore they were voices. But there was nothing around here really, and their reports had been shrugged off. Actually the voices part had been an exaggeration by the paper, stretching the truth to sell the story.

The truth as was often the case…was far simpler. No ghosts, like drunken kids had claimed in the middle of the night. His first time here, Finn hadn't know what to expect, but had seen all beers lying on the ground while driving up the road. It had been simple enough to follow the trail to the exit, seemed it had been one hell of a wild party. But he had come with a tape recorder, and stuck it to the tree in an inconspicuous place. Just enough so that no one coming by would see it, and take it home. Also, so that other things might not tamper it with, including native wildlife. Or even not so-native wildlife.

The point being, no voices had turned up on tape, but something in Finn's estimation far more interesting. Some unusual screeches, which when played back against the night wind might seem to be voices. But Finn knew them not to be, and had therefore put the co-ordinates for this place in his GPS. This was a lead that was panning out after all these previous attempts. Finn had encountered false leads and dead ends, but sometimes-rarely of course, did something pan out. Well, he still hadn't seen anything yet it was true, but there was something to be said for being thorough about the place. Still, it wasn't like he'd expected to just show up randomly and see things, he knew better then that. So he had kept the recorder there, but had hooked it up by a remote relay.

To put it plainly: His computer program had registered a possible match to the sound recorded the first time…just last night. So here he was, still adjusting the scope, figuring he was far away. The trees were shaking, but on further adjustment, Finn could see it was only the treetops that were moving thus, not the trees themselves. He wished he could get closer, but just beyond the tripod there was a low hill, which was covered with many loose rocks. If he were to try to maneuver in that direction, the commotion would cause him to be discovered instantly. Then the whole point of this would be worthless pretty much, he thought. But he was going to be careful, he had to be.

There was a flicker of movement, he saw as he scanned the grove through the lens. Up in the treetops, there was no doubt about it, and he stopped the motion of the scope. There was something there, larger then a bird-he narrowed his eyes again as he saw it. A flash of green, and he refocused the scope to observe. His mouth widened in a grin, as he took in a breath. Yes, jackpot. It was exactly what he had been hoping for. He stared again, before grabbing the book on the floor, flipping the pages, trying to find the index. Well, not the index, but just flipping by coloration, from what he could see. Not that helped much because these were mainly artists renderings, but the ones done by the author seemed eerily accurate, almost lifelike. Only for a specfic few specimens though, which was uncanny.

The animal seen through the scope might have been a bird. It was the right size and except for some irregularities, might have bene considered the right shape as well. It was two feet long in length, and he estimated barely a foot in height. It was no wonder that even the partygoers who had reported the noise had not seen them. They might have been mistaken even in daylight really. The animal was mottled green in color, he could see as it balanced itself on the treetop. There was a faint beak he could make out, but that was not what garnered his attention. No, there was a small frill, just barely visible against the greenery. Frantically, he leafed through the book, checking the index this time.

He'd expected to find something of course, but this was interesting. He hadn't seen this type before. He found the entry under 'Ceratopsians', and quickly flipped to the page. '[I]Microceratops Gobiensis[/I]'. There it was, and to his surprise, the sketch by the author seemed spot on, almost uncannily so. He creased the page so he could find it again, and closed it. Noting the title briefly. "[I]A brief guide to Mesozoic Fauna[/I]" by Dr. Alan Grant. There were several other creased pages, and he nodded briefly, contemplating this. It was another species, one he hadn't counted on finding here. He looked back through the scope, seeing that the animal was craning its neck, and the foliage above was moving, maybe it was its companions? For some reason he got really excited when he considered this possibility, and stepped back.

He needed to document this, get proof. He thought camera traps might work, but it would have to be next time, since he was a bit far away and hadn't thought to bring them. Well, he hadn't thought he'd make a confirmed sighting either, there had been so many wild goose chases over the years…but then also there were things like this, the Microceratops or whatever the hell it was, jumping from branch to branch in a tree grove in the middle of nowhere. He stepped back, unsure when he suddenly heard his phone go off. The ringing of the damn thing echoed through the valley, and before he knew it, Finn could see the trees start to shake again.

No use going back and checking the scope, he knew enough from past experiences that the animal would be gone. Maybe not returning again for hours or when he was gone even. It was that difficult to tell, and he was frustrated. Annoyed, he stepped back, staring out at the road as he did so. "Hello?" He asked sarcastically as he tried to figure out who could possibly be calling. For one, he hadn't even been sure about this place and its reception so he couldn't see… nothing on Caller ID either, but he knew that he didn't give his cell number to just any jackass. "Clearly this isn't a wrong number, so what the hell do you want?'

To his surprise there was a faint chuckle on the other end. Whoever it was, they sounded more then a bit amused, as if this was all some big game to them. Perhaps it even was, Finn had no way in hell of knowing for sure. But what annoyed the hell out of him was people who just bothered you for no reason; it was a pain in the ass. "Having fun yet?" The answer came back, clear and crisp. Finn shook his head, wondering who the hell this guy was. He was trying to look through the scope again, and sure enough the animal was gone. Damn. "Sorry if I interrupted anything, but you know I never got a call back."

Finn tried to think, and it came to him vaguely. The man at the convention had given him his business card…he took the card out of his back pocket and looked again at the number calling. They were a match. "Mr. Muldoon, I presume?" He asked, thinking that was right. "To what do I owe the honor of this call?" He replied, keeping his voice as straight as he could. He was angry, damn right he was. Mostly at himself for not putting the phone on silent. He tried to think of how the man must have gotten his phone number, there had been only one time when…he remembered now, as he had put his contact details when he registered at the convention as a speaker. "What the hell do you want." His voice even, tempered, even as he began placing the stuff back in their cases.

"Sounds like you already figured part of it out," there was another short laugh, as if the man found something very funny. Again a pause, and Finn took that opportunity to separate the scope from the tripod and put these in their respective cases. "Are you enjoying the paycheck? Two thousand, three hundred and forty dollars… oh and seventy five cents." Apparently the man could see a lot of humor in this situation, as he pointed out the facts that nobody else would have known. It wasn't very humorous to Finn, at least not finding himself on the receiving end of whatever the hell this was. He already had the tripod packed away, and placed it in the car.

"Well, cut the crap already," Finn snapped sharply as he began to open the box for the scope. "So you paid for that little stunt at the convention…what was the point of that?" He was considering hanging up, but there was something nagging at him, something very big. He turned the scope over, and smiled. It was a top of the line scope, that was affixed to his camera. Every time he had turned to refocus, in fact, he had been snapping a picture. It was difficult to tell it was a camera at all really, but…the picture was clear now, he wouldn't have to return a second time, now that he had the evidence he needed. Besides, returning again would draw suspicion, and more people might come, discover what hid there, in that grove in the trees.

"I've been watching you for a long time," the voice came smooth and cool. Like he wasn't bothered at all. "You're still small time, although right now you're on the trail of something you might not even understand…" Finn took a breath, both at this comment, and also at the picture of the animal, perfectly taken in the viewfinder of the camera. "You're on the cusp of a rabbit hole, but you don't know how far it goes do you?" Finn placed the camera-scope back down, thinking. How was he going to respond? The man seemed to know quite a lot, and was implying there was more to the story then he'd suspected. He took a look back at his book, lying on the ground, and swallowed.

"All right, I take it you know something." He said finally. This might be the break he was looking for, although he had to be careful. This was so sensitive, that he wasn't sure if he might be making a mistake in doing this at all really. "I'll meet with you then, but I warn you-if my time is being wasted, I won't stick around long." It wasn't a threat, it was a statement of fact, that he could tell when something didn't make sense, or wouldn't. He had everything in the car now, and was in the driver's seat, getting ready to leave. He thought about it…would it really be worth the risk? Someone else knew what he was doing…

As if to reassure him, the voice on the other end of the phone replied one final time. All thoughts of his picture were shaken, despite having not believed he would be shaken from it. "Hunting Dinosaurs is such a chore doing it by yourself isn't it?" Then the line went dead. Leaving Thomas Finn staring at the phone, open-mouthed. Slowly, he started the car up again, and backed out of the clearing, out onto the open road.


	6. Reflection

Jeff Rossiter closed the door, as he heard the sound of the gathering behind him. In the main hall, which he had just exited, there had been a crush of people, so much that it almost had made him want to leave. There was something about being around that many people that just set him off in the wrong way, he couldn't tell exactly how though. Just that it had, and he's felt a tightening in his chest, like he just wanted to get out of here now. Social situations weren't his strong suit, he had the PR people for that anyways. People who did the nitty gritty that was required to interact with the press. Rossiter had never had a taste for that, preferring to lead from behind a desk.  
Of course there were times when it was necessary to come out to conduct business, and this was one such time. Biosyn was considered to be the most successful Biotech company, but when it came down to it, there could always be improvements in the way the company performed. Their stock was holding steady for now, but it hadn't exactly been rising either in the past six months. It was something he wanted to remedy, and soon. That was why he was here, in this house-to meet with a client. Like any company they had clients they needed to serve, but this was a different sort of client. One that wouldn't exactly be buying their product, but endorsing it. To be honest, he was taking a page out of an old competitor, rest his memory.

The client's house was rather large, Rossiter thought to himself as he adjusted his tie. One of these mansions like they had over in California, and this was actually out in Santa Barbara. Right by the beach, and rather showy too. But that was good, that meant the client had an eye for things, and spent money on what he liked. Not that he would be purchasing anything of course, Rossiter had a thing about that. Just he hadn't expected there to be a goddamn party taking place, the last thing on his mind had been something like that. Still, it seemed confined to the main hall and the living room, although he could still hear the sound of the people chattering. There were some spillovers, but nothing he couldn't handle.

That was also good in a way, meant the client had rich friends, who he might possibly influence. He could barely suppress a smile as he walked down the hallway, taking note of the many expensive and rare ornamentation adorning the walls. On the left wall, there was a Manet portrait and he could see by the plaque that it was an original. And yet, there was nothing that distinguished or called attention to it. He liked that, subtle yet powerful. Yes, this man clearly had money, but he just had to know if he would be willing to help him-and Biosyn in this venture. Oh yes, he had every confidence now, not doubting for a bit. There was just something about the way he felt as he gripped the ornamented double doors at the end of the hall, and opened them.

Inside, he could feel the sounds of the party evaporate behind him, like they weren't even there. It was a relief, and he could feel himself relaxing as he took a deep breath and looked around. It was a large room, and on either sides of it were trophy heads, mounts of animals of all descriptions. A Rhinoceros glowered at him from one end of the room, it's head bowed, looking as if it would charge at him in any minute, but its eyes devoid of life. In a similar way, there was also a Jaguar mount, rearing up as if to leap on him, and claw his life away. To be honest, it was quite a sight, and Rossiter had stepped back for a bit upon entering before remembering that these animals were dead.

He winced a bit, as personally witnessing the stuffed representations of the dead animals did set him off for a bit. But then again, they reminded him of why he was here. Yes, he thought as he strolled past the stuffed heads and the mounts, this was exactly why he was here. He gripped the briefcase he was holding tighter, and in his other hand, there was a small box-sized carry container, that was covered with a cloth. A little idea he'd gotten from an old competitor again, but quite the good one in his opinion. Always try to learn what had been successful or not, that might be the key to getting ahead in business. Nice words to live by, but unless acted upon, remained only empty words.

He looked up, and smiled, as he saw the man he had been seeking. The chair was turned away from him, and the occupant sat staring out the window. Rossiter came closer, looking out of it too. The party was spilling out into the courtyard, and he could see they were having a good time indeed. "Why aren't you out there with the rest of them?" Rossiter quipped, placing his things on the desk. The man never turned around, only directed his attention outside with a wave of his hand. Rossiter couldn't see what the hell he was directing him, but it appeared to be one of the guests. She seemed…tipsy more like it, and was veering unsteadily through the garden. As he watched, the woman fell into the water fountain, appearing to laugh despite her predicament.

"On the plains, she would have been a target," the words came soft, calm from the man as he turned around. Rossiter had read a file on him before he came, as well as a basic biography, but he thought it was better to see his profile face to face so he could get a better view, and judge him from there. The man was about forty or so; the exact age was difficult to tell. Mainly because he looked like someone who took care of himself, and spent frequent time exercising his body. His shirt was rolled up at the elbows, revealing toned and slightly tanned arms, not over-trained but built for a purpose. His shirt was a simple khaki, but then Rossiter understood this was merely what he wore at home. The light from outside seemed to glance off of his bald head, but he merely looked at him, almost studying him.

"You wanted a moment of my time, so here I am." The man stated flately, staring up at him. Even though he was standing, Rossiter felt like he was being scrutinized, and tried in this moment. He couldn't explain it, but for some reason the man asserted an aura of confidence and control that was rarely found in people these days. "Your people got in contact with me, said that you had an interesting proposal, that you wanted to deliver in person. So you have fifteen minutes to do so," he told Rossiter, his steely eyes never leaving his face. Even as CEO of the company, Rossiter found himself unnerved by this man. But he had every confidence in himself, that he could convince this man to their position. He had come prepared, more then prepared in actuality.

He smiled at the man, regaining his composure as he could feel his confidence returning to him. There was nothing to worry about after all, he had everything under control, or so he thought. "Our Company has always catered our products towards our clients, and you are no exception." He said, gesturing outward to the window. The man continued to face forward, his fingers interlocking as he rested them on his chin. "We know you are not our client yet, but we hope to persuade you to at least endorse our product, so that others may be inspired to try it now that it has an endorsement from the best in your field," he gestured back to the animal mounts as he did so.

"You've hunted every species known to man," Rossiter said, walking backwards and close to several of the mounts. There was a stuffed Tiger, frozen in the position of mauling what appeared to be an endangered Indian Rhinoceros. "There must be only so many more game to hunt…when does it get repetitive?" He looked back at the man, watching him sit up, staring at him. "Do you want a challenge…something that can pose a threat, a real one. Something that can hunt you, almost as much as you want to." He stared at the man, seeing a slight glimmer of interest in his eyes, although still a bit wary. Quite right, but it was good that he was showing some form of interest. Maybe he would be able to plant a seed, or maybe even get that endorsement after all.

"I do have conditions though. A hunt must be fair, the animal must be given a chance, and then there must be nowhere it can't hide." So the man was true to his reputation, it seemed. No matter, Rossiter could deal with this, although his definitions of the concepts the man had said differed by quite a lot really. "My own entourage with my own selected people." That made sense actually, and Rossiter wouldn't make too much fuss, although he would run background checks on anybody the man chose, just to make sure they had the right kind of thinking. That is, that they would just enjoy it without asking too many questions. "If you can deliver with that, we might have something, but you have to be open with me, tell me what the bloody hell you want me to endorse."

"I can deliver everything you ask, and a bit more," Rossiter said. " As the man watched, Rossiter opened his briefcase, and took out some files and folders with it. There was a folded paper, and he unraveled it to reveal a map of sorts. The man took the paper, and turned it around, studying it. He nodded, as Rossiter waited. "I took the liberty of constructing this map, you can see the arrangements of the park. Each side has its own specific zone, although that is just for documentation and advertorial purposes." He watched as the man continued to look… scanning the map to see the arrangements. Finally he seemed satisfied, folding it back up neatly, and returning it over to deposit in the briefcase.

"The animals can roam freely?" He asked, as he stood up. "I notice these zones seem to be manufactured according to the climate of the park, but surely they can move between zones?" That seemed to be his present concern, and although Rossiter knew otherwise; he nodded, which seemed to relax the man. "Each zone is sufficiently large enough to support the animals contained…that is I assume each one has a different variety of game." Again, Rossiter nodded, and the man seemed to narrow his eyes, and take a breath. He said nothing, but walked with his hands behind his back to where one of the mounts were, a snarling Kodiak Bear, ready to disembowel with one swipe. He held a hand up, feeling the claws, which in life would surely have already destroyed him had it not been for a well-placed shot in the gut.

"The animals then-every safari park needs animals." He spoke again, turning to look at Jeff Rossiter. "It's true, I've hunted every sort of game in all of the world, and to be honest… it has grown tiresome." He looked out at his trophies, and there was a look of not triumph, but of something else. Rossiter looked around, turning, and gazing at the various mounts and heads. He could see there was another room just beyond to the other side of the desk, and there appeared to be even more mounts, and indeed they appeared to be from many different continents. Clearly it had taken much effort to acquire these specimens, and some of them were also expensive to even think of hunting.

"I believe that what we have to offer will save you from your boredom-since the trophy will be some specimens that few or not many can claim." He indicated the tiger. "Some of the specimens you have acquired have protections, although they can be risky to sidestep. It's a crime more to kill a tiger then to kill another person, they have advocates." He stared at the man, who remained impassive, if he was thinking anything he didn't let it come through. Only stepped a bit back, and leaned against the desk, taking a breath. He seemed to nod, and placed a hand on his temple, concentrating. "I can give you that, something you can hunt that has no advocates, no protections… and then you can say there is nothing else like it."

The man stood up, as he stared back. "Your fifteen minutes are almost up," he said simply as she stared Rossiter in the eye. "Tell me what specimens you propose otherwise I can see to it that you get the hell out of here" That was what Rossiter had been waiting for actually, for the man to challenge him on his promises, make him deliver. He walked over to the desk, as the man eyed him, checking his watch as he did so. He might not have much time left, but he thought he would go for the dramatic anyways, it always had worked for Hamond hadn't it? He reached for the box, tugging slightly at the cloth that was covering it. He gave the man one last look, his grin unable to conceal his belief that he had an advantage.

The cloth fluttered to the floor, and instantly the man stood up, more like stepped back from the desk. The thing in the cage was small, and was mottled dark green. Couldn't be bigger then a chicken really, and like a chicken, it was standing on it's hind legs, which balanced its thick tail. Its neck was fairly long for its size, terminating in a sort of beak. But its remarkable feature was its feet, which had exactly three toes each. It gave a chirp as the covering was removed, but had barely made a sound while it had remained. Good, he had trained it well at least. The man walked over, recovering his composure, and began studying the creature.

He stared at it for the longest time, for what seemed like many possible angles. The lizard-thing hopped to face him with each new angle, although this was not unexpected to Rossiter. "This is a sample, yes?" He said as he observed the small lizard-like animal. "But you possess larger ones yes?" He seemed unperturbed after his brief shock, which was probably only due to seeing it with his own eyes. "Skinny little fellow, I take it this is your conversation piece?" He raised an eyebrow as he flicker his eyes back up to Jeff Rossiter. Rossiter stepped forward, about to answer, but the man stopped him by raising his hand. He understood, and stepped back, picking up the cloth covering from the floor as he did so.

"You will receive an endorsement, written and signed by me." The man said slowly, as he saw Rossiter's face slowly morph into a greedy smile. "After the competition of the successful hunt." Rossiter remained confident though, that he could deliver, even as he began closing the briefcase. "Take that animal with you as well," the man said, facing away from him for a second. "As proof of what you claim to have accomplished it succeeds, but it offers no sport in terms that I desire." Rossiter quickly covered the Procompsognathus up with the cloth again, a chirp from it being the only protest. Rossiter stepped closer, his hand raised to shake for a successful deal closed up. It had gone better then he'd expected, even with having to take the showpiece out for a tour.

"Glad we could make a deal," Rossiter nodded. "And with your endorsement I suspect the park will be a success," He didn't add that it was something that he critically needed, in order to attract the target audience. Not only a written statement, but would have his legal team maneuver the contract so that this British bastard was performing in every piece of advertising for it he could think up. "It will still be a few months, the animals are getting integrated into their habitat, but when we are ready, your team will be taken to the park itself." He smiled, as he took the briefcase and the cage with him. "Is there anything else you require?"

"Yes," Roland Tembo said as he turned away from the window. "For my endorsement, no fee is required. I will require your largest specimen-a buck only. When and where is my concern."


	7. Enroachment

Whether he'd expected it or not, Robert Muldoon had to admit that this game was becoming ever more entertaining then he'd ever figured. It was something he'd been perusing a long time, and to see it coming to fruition was warming to his heart. Yes, especially because he wasn't getting any younger, it was important that things start to come to a head, especially when he had identified someone with interests so close to his own…who might be heading down a path of self-destruction unknowingly as he leaped into the unknown with only the dimmest idea of what he might hope to face or expect. That was why Muldoon needed to get to him first, before other interested parties took notice.

For the kid's own good really, whether he noticed or not. But right now, it was, and Muldoon knew it. At least he hoped he did. Which was one of the reasons why he wasn't too worried about a lot of things, not the least of them being that the kid was currently stationed outside of his home, in a beat up ford. Probably thought he was doing a good job of staying incognito too, that was the hilarious thing. He hadn't been paying him too much mind, but the fact that he was there indicated that the man had just enough brains to find him, but perhaps not enough to cover his own tracks too well. It was a pity, since the man did seem sort of bright, in that he noticed things few other people saw-as in his talk. Even if he had clearly left things out.

Understandable of course, he thought as he walked down his driveway of his compound. Better give the man a hello after all. It wasn't exactly a sparsely populated neighborhood, but the man did stick out. A bit too much, but it proved he was merely an amateur at this, no matter how much he may think he knew. There was always someone who knew just a bit more. He left the gate open as he tipped his hat at the man in the car. Who got out just as he saw Muldoon approaching. "So you finally decided to see how deep the rabbit hole goes," Muldoon smiled as she nodded at the man, while leaning against the gate. He noticed the man had a manila envelope he was holding, and filed that information away for future reference.

"You're not an easy man to reach," Thomas Finn said as he slammed his ford door shut and stepped beside him. "You got my attention, and you just had to speed things up didn't you. I would've looked into you sooner or later, but then you had to go and make it worth my while to see what the hell you really might know." Muldoon could feel the man's eyes boring into his, almost demanding that he spill what he knew. But not just yet…not just yet.

He wanted to find out how committed this man was, since it seemed that he could use him a bit here, interestingly enough. He turned away a bit, as he began walking, not towards his main house, but past his driveway.  
The man was staring at the compound, and Muldoon couldn't blame him really. It was sort of intimidating when you first looked at it, since it spanned at least a coupel of acres. Most people had no clue what he could need all that land for, or how he'd managed it. But this man had shown up at his front gate, so anything less then a hell of a welcome would be a disappointment in fact. They walked down the gravel path together, the man's eyes flitting all over the landscape, as he took note of everything. They passed by the main house, which was nothing more then a single one story, attached to a garage. It stood apart from the other structures in the compound, and there seemed to be a strange sort of screen around the windows. Muldoon wondered if the man would realize these were bars.

"You want me to see something then?" The man said, turning. "You got something here, I've been watching you. Single man doesn't need all this land and only build a one story house on it." Muldoon gave him a look, clearly the man had done more then his fair share of scouting. Got to give him credit for doing his homework at least, that was worth an A minus in his book. "There's a fence back there right? I could see it from my car-not sure haven't been able to get a good aerial view yet…" There was a very clear and simple explanation for that. Muldoon had invested in electronic jammers so that his activities back there would not be picked up by any remote sensing equipment. When there was something as sensitive as what he was doing, he had to be careful as hell not to let anything go wrong.

"Patience grasshopper," he remarked although the age difference between them was not so great that he could say that for sure. They were now some distance from the house and the driveway, and he could see the fenced area up ahead. This was where it got interesting, although he wasn't sure if the man was perhaps ready for it. It was difficult he knew, but then again life was difficult in general. They were behind the house now, and the other man seemed astonished, that behind it was just merely rock and dirt, with some assorted scrub. In short, open country. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. And anything that ran through that would be exposed. Very much so. It had been his intent from the beginning, that he would have the advantage. He'd learned from the past, what worked and what didn't.

They were at the entrance to the gate, and Muldoon got a key to detach a padlock on the front. It didn't deactivate or unlock anything…but it turned off the electric current surrounding the fence. There were reasons for that he wasn't going to get into just yet. But it had everything to do with why the man was here right now, why both of them were here. He looked down at the manilla envelope as they entered the outer ring. Should be close enough… to the truth right now, but he wasn't sure if the man could handle it. Or maybe he could. "Plan on opening that anytime soon?" He asked the man, indicating the envelope. He didn't deny that his curiosity was heightened, but at the same time, he wanted to let the man show him.

Finn seemed to fumble with the envelope, especially when he saw there were another ring of fence beyond the one he had just entered. "The hell kinda place you got here," he said, eyeing Muldoon warily. Well maybe he was right to do that. "Got something in here though, but first you got to tell me something," he nodded slowly, continuing to stare at him. "You can't just say you know about dinosaurs," he let that sink in for both of them really. It was the unspoken thing, which connected them. "And just expect me to stand here and not try to follow it up in some way. "I did some checking up on you…and frankly surprised you're here and not in some safari park in Africa or something." Muldoon allowed the ghost of a smile to cross his face.

Little did the man know how much he had dreamed about it, longed for it. But then only a few years ago, he had been thinking these same things himself. But then in a village he had been drawn into staying because he knew that the horror which he had witness on Nublar was far from over. That it might have only just begun. And so he had kept watch, like a lone sentry waiting for disaster. A disaster, which had happened just as he predicted, only there had been external influences that he had not anticipated. But now, things seemed to be leading to a something again if he was reading the signs right. Which was why Finn was here, to be his interpreter while he attempted to figure out what the hell was happening.

"Here you go," Finn handed over the envelope as he looked around, turning around as he looked. He seemed slightly uncomfortable for whatever reason, if only because they still hadn't reached the inner fence yet. Muldoon took the envelope in his hands, and opened it, seeing it was a stack of photographs. He felt a grin stretch over his face, as he looked them over. Perfect, just perfect. He thought he would start with the top though, and it was a map. He studied it, noting that there were several dots with codes labeled next to them. He traced them with his finger, noticing with some amusement that it seemed to follow a sort of procession. Good, good…the man seemed to have the right idea and had clearly been doing his homework. He nodded at several points, realizing what he was seeing. The dots must indicate sightings.

"Let's see what else you got," he muttered half to himself as he flipped to the next photograph in order. He blinked, not having expected it… It was a picture of something in a tree, some lizard. But not an ordinary specimen, for he could easily see the frill… and the beak. Much like a particular specimen he could remember running through the trees, giving the largest predator that ever lived a merry chase. "Well, you found one, I'll give you that," he said as he looked at the time stamp on the pictures. Written in pencil, made sense the man would have enough rational sensibility to know when to develop these on his own. So he was not a complete moron after all.

He turned it over, seeing there was a code on the back, and held it against the map. A hundred or so miles from here, interesting. "Wouldn't mind telling me exactly where?" He joked, even as he saw the man shake his head. He understood. It was business, and some secrets were to propriety to even let the smallest fragment of it slip by. But a confirmed sighting outside of Costa Rica, that got his heart racing, as he looked up at the man. "So you have done your homework, now you get a treat." He smiled as he flipped through the rest, seeing pretty much what he expected. A footprint here, what were possibly claw marks on a tree… But anything that indicated larger animals was still in Costa Rica, with question marks on these that came from further up the continent.

He stopped at the last picture, as he stared. A single feather, faded beyond all recognition, sitting in a pool of blood. The distance was hard to figure out, but he could tell now that it was taken at close range. Now if his estimate was right…there was no bird in that areea that could produce a feather of that size or type unless…. He looked up as he felt unfamiliar emotions. This was new. Yes it was, nothing like he'd thought of before. Even that bastard Levine telling him about Sorna had only come as sort of a surprise. Even a man who had been reduced to collecting paychecks could have told that there was something screwy with Nublar, and you didn't even have to sit through the tour to figure that out.

"All right, follow me." Muldoon said as he began shelving the pictures and placed them in the manilla envelope. He was uncomfortable now, since this was new, and new might mean bad, something he hadn't faced before. The timestamp on that picture…the location corresponding with the map… He continued to walk as they reached the gate to the inner ring of the fence, disabling the lock there too so that he could pass safely inside. He entered this new fence as well, letting the other man follow behind him. There was a low pit before them, with high fences on either side. He saw the man walk apart from him now, as they both looked below. It was empty right now, but there was a shaft leading to another chamber below.

A bell would ring when something moved up that shaft, usually twice a day when he would make a delivery. He'd learned from last time, you needed to give something space otherwise things would go to hell in a heartbeat. That was the tricky thing. You could learn from the past, but if there were new things, then you had to change, adapt. That feather… it was telling him he needed to change, adapt, nothing like he heard of before. And he was running through scenarios in his head of how best to adapt, but that was the scary thing. He couldn't think of a single damn thing. What it could be…. He stepped around Finn, who had crossed his arms by now, clearly confused.

There was a small console near the base of the fence, and he opened it with a key, revealing a safe. He withdrew two handguns from it, one a high-pressured tranquilizers, and the other a Magnmum 45. Sounded like he had enough right here, and so he holstered them as the man watched, seemingly unimpressed. Maybe he was just refusing to be impressed. Possibly. He didn't have anything on him though, and so he shook his head, looking around for something. There was something here though, on an ice pack that he had placed in the console earlier. Separate compartment temperature-controlled just in case. A slice of raw meat, flash frozen just what he needed. Althought he speculated it would need some time to thaw…

Damn it, no time for that now he thought to himself. There would be time for all of that later, as he saw again, a chute near the console. It was narrow, barely more then a foot wide, and it went down nearly veritically past the fence, into the pit. At no point was there a gap in the fence, since it merely went down around it, so that it was impenetraneable in every way. He put the meat down, and watched as it disappeared, both of them turning their heads a few seconds later to watch it fall out on to the other side, lying flat on the ground. No one spoke for several seconds, as the man-Finn stared at him oddly, and continued distancing himself.

Finally he spoke. "What the hell is going on here? You saw what I showed you, and have no comment about it?" Great, the man was starting to get personally offended or something. And here Muldoon had almost thought he was dealing with a equal. He turned nearly, but then Muldoon held his arm, indicated that he should stay and watch. Because this was important. There was a creak, and he could hear the sound of a bell chiming, and he turned to look. A noise like something coming, of course-the heat was surely enough to start cooking the meat almost instantly, at least enough so that the smell should be obvious to the beast below, which was heading up now, so that Finn could see.

The animal made it's appearance, short and quick, but just enough for them all to see it. It was amazing how an animal with that much body mass could move, and how fast too. Barely time for him to get an aim, it had learned in its time here. The man nearly lunged forward to get a look, only Muldoon's timely grip saved him from getting himself electrocuted by the fence. He could just make out a long and lithe body, spotted yellow and black like a leopard. A set of thin crests along its head, were all he was able to make of it. Something flew threw the air, and both of them stepped back suddenly as sparks flew against the fence. Both of them ducked, and Muldoon cursed, realizing how easily it could've gone bad.

There was a hoot, and he realized the meat was probably already gone. "The hell was that?" Thomas Finn started getting back up, and it was clear that no matter his stated experience, he hadn't seen anything like it. Muldoon could understand…the one he'd seen in Costa Rica had been starving. In the midst of what should have been the idea environment for it. He didn't think any had gone past Costa Rica at all. Which made his unique…the last spitter possibly, and that was a little sad. But in all of Finn's photographs he'd hadn't seen anything to indicate another, which was telling in itself. "The hell you keeping in here, Muldoon?" The man was panicking as he headed towards to the outer gate as they walked together.

Muldoon stared at him. "This is where you have to ask yourself how much further you want to go. I showed you what might be waiting out there if you continue with this. Now do you want to continue taking pictures of tree lizards, or do you want to try and find the big things-some things in your pictures might lead to these animals…which is why we need to track them down. See where they are going. Are you with me or not?" He stared at the man, waiting to see what his answer would be. Because the map really was intriguing. Not very often that someone came along that could spark that level of interest. He could tell that had been the slide that Finn had been omitting over at the convention.

Slowly the man nodded. "Any idea on where to start?"


	8. Acapulco

"You sure this is the right place?" Robert Muldoon asked as he looked down at the road. A frown creased his face, and he really was unsure if it was going to be the right place or time for this. He continued driving as he got off the freeway, and watched the other man in the passenger seat studying the map, giving him direction. This was going to be a risky move, not because he thought there might be a chance of failure, but perhaps because of a chance of success. He turned on the radio, letting the local news take over, speaking in rapid fire Spanish or whatever the hell they were doing really. He was determined that he would find some evidence…

Finn had a good point, about using the map as a base. Trying to find where the trail was leading, to figure out a path. And a path was what he thought it was, had to be. He turned into a side street, seeing the beach close by. Tourists, shit loads of tourists. Off to enjoy the sun and the margaritas without seeing any of the real life of the country. It was a shame really, since there was so much to see here. And so little time to go through it all, when you got down to it. He checked, not that much further to go. The bad thing was, this sighting was close to civilization, a bit too much for his liking. Granted you could technically call it the outskirts or whatever, but still. Putting a hotel right up against a jungle enclave wasn't his idea of outskirts. More like the damn city trying to invade.

But that had been the selling point for Las Gatos, have a hotel right beside the beach, play it off as being natural. Probably bought up all the land they could find right near the beach so they could have something they could call tropical paradise. Granted it was only three or four acres, and fenced in, but still paradise all the while. Holiday in Acapulco; live the time of your life in the most naturally artifical playground that you could dream of. It was a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. He knew there was also another disadvantage to being in an urban area. He'd had to leave his guns at home. And that was unnerving him, as he'd seen the pictures back at the convention.

Granted, he'd gotten a horse trailer affixed to the back of this jeep, but that was about it. It was empty of course, but he knew that the story would be paper thin, if he had to somehow defend this in front of other people. He tried to think of how that could work, and was not surprised to find he drew a blank there. He really did. He was entering a parking area, and parked against the jungle, staring at it. There was a trail head nearby, a place for tourists to have a 'safe' jungle experience. The naïve fools… he got out of the car, and looked around, seeing the hotel in the near distance. Finn also got out of the car, taking a breath as he stretched his legs.

Since it was a populated area, they could not risk bringing any thing that could be called weapons, but that had not prevented Muldoon from improvising. He had a taser hidden in his belt, just in case. The usefulness of this was questionable, since he didn't know really if he would need it, or if it would have any effect. There were a number of tourists in this parking lot too, giving him strange looks, and so he knew that it would have to be a bit off the beaten path where he would have to begin looking. He began walking, entering the trailhead, and followed the other tourists. He'd been careful to dress down so that he would seem like an average man on holiday. Finn looked like he could be seen at the bar at any time, and so he felt that their appearance was satisfactory in diverting any form of suspicion.

Thomas Finn walked just slightly ahead of Muldoon, leading the way. He had been here before, and he knew which route to take. Right now, he was pretending to take in the sights, while attempting to recall from memory what wrong step he had taken. He had seen that thing in Muldoon's backyard, and had paled as he had considered the implications, really took his breath away. But it wasn't something to dwell on now, even if he found it troubling for all the different reasons. Of all the…anomalous animals he had traced, nothing like that had ever come up. It had to be rare of course, but he had not even found a trace of it, no reports, even back in Costa Rica, which was where all of the reports originated.

He continued down the path, as several tourists splintered down other side paths. To a fountain, an artificial lake, or maybe even a bridge. He chuckled dryly, as it was something of far more consequence that he had in mind as a destination. There was a picnic area not too far ahead, and he walked steadily towards it, entering the clearing. A few tourists setting up lunch; not a problem. But it did pose an interesting question after all. The implications were a bit unsettling so he thought he might sit down and think them over for a bit. He looked around, affecting as if he were lost and in need of guidance. In a sense he sort of was, but that was not entirely his concern right now. No…what would trouble him was the possible presence of a large one, like there had been last time.

But it had been three years, and he realized that it may have moved on. He hopes so, since they were barely suited to handle it. He walked through the bushes, and then they were in the forest. There was a low trail near the bottom, which led to a camping spot not that far from the picnic area. It was this camping spot that he was headed, since it was the off-season. There would be no permits handed this time of year, nor would there be any interference. It was not a long walk, and they both entered the new clearing, looking around. It was quiet enough, but Finn knew that looks could be deceiving. After all, it looked remote, but the authorities had gotten here quickly enough when they had heard him screaming.

"It was here," he said to the other man, letting him know. "Nobody goes out of sight, if it is still here, I might be able to determine some sort of clue…" He looked down at the grass, it had rained recently and there was a slick of mud in the center. Maybe…he looked down, and frowned, there were no tracks. "Only birds," he said, shaking his head as he got up. For some reason that seemed to greatly interest Muldoon, who suddenly came up to him, and looked down at them. The man seemed to trace the outline as if remembering something. Finn was also looking, trying to remember something, some other encounter but not sure if it fit. It had been at a far distance so maybe his memory was shot.

Maybe so…"It's not a bird," Muldoon said, as he got the taser out of his pocket." He began looking around, even as Finn stepped closer to him. "Not sure, migratory maybe, feed out of trash cans. Stay sharp, don't wander off." Finn nodded, thinking he had a vague idea of what it might be. He wasn't going to wander off, he wasn't that thickheaded. But he did know that whatever it was out there, it potentially could pose a threat. So he looked around, trying to see if there was anything that was possible for him to use here. There was nothing but the rush of the wind however, and the distant, idle chatter of tourists. Maybe it was for the better that they remain unaware for now. Ignorance was bliss.

"Just get a perimeter, find out where they go, where they come from." Finn found himself saying It came natural to him now, after all these months of detective work. He wondered if it was going to pay off here, even if nothing really flashy happened. He was edgy, but maybe it was only natural. Still, that did nothing from stopping the beads of sweat running down his face even as he looked around him. Nothing yet, but he was still unsure…for reasons he knew he couldn't quite fathom. He had experience with anomalous creatures, but always in the middle of nowhere. Somehow the possibility of seeing something up close unnerved him, because of its close proximity to town.

He thought he could smell something, and it took him a while to realize what it was. This had been a campground; at least it was during the off season. And not every camper was entirely careful with what they left behind. Could be anything from food…to clothes… People left a lot of weird things around these places. But there was a depression near the mud slick, he saw several post holes in the ground, the rain hadn't wiped them away. Someone had camped here recently, maybe illegally. People were always doing that, even if the government was trying to crack down on it recently. But this was interesting because he saw it was against a tree and there was half of a rope snapped off, frayed just like it had been so recently…"I think you better come over here," he said suddenly, backing off.

Muldoon got up from where he was crouching and turned to look. He walked slowly as he stared at the scene along with Finn. Had to have been the rainstorm, but the rope containing the supplies had snapped. The smell had come from there, because by now the supplies were spoiled. But that wasn't what had caught his attention, oh no. Instead, it was the smashed supplies on the ground or rather the things that were surrounding them. Small lizard-things green and walking on their hind legs. At least six of them, all chirping almost in unison and completely distracted by the bounty from the cloth. Compys, Muldoon thought as he cringed.

Finn was glancing at his map all of a sudden, as if he was frentic about something, and indeed he was. He was tracing the lines of the map with his finger, trying to determine something. "Yes…yes it proves it," he said, folding the map up his hands shaking. He stared down at the animals, watching as they hopped and danced around the spoiled meat. "They won't bother two adult males I don't think…" he said as he stepped closer to Muldoon regardless. He wasn't a big fan of unnecessary risks anyway, and so he thought it was warranted. And looking at Muldoon's face, he could see something…recognition. This just got more and more interesting, he thought as he too, frowned.

"You've seen this before, or something similar," Muldoon said, taking the taser out of his pocket. Last resort really, and he was certain that two of them would be able to manage something like this. He remembered the map that he'd taken a brief glimpse of, and seized on what he thought was a likely answer. "When did you last see them?" he asked. "Or rather-where did you last see them is the more appropriate answer I should think." He noticed that most of the meat seemed to be gone, and some of the compys were moving off. "Follow them, but not too far," he warned the man as he began walking. Surely there had to be some clue as to how it was working, how these things were already this far north.

"Last time I saw them was down in Guatemala," Finn said as he looked at them, not sure what to say. One or two had slid back into the forest, but the rest were still feeding. "That's quite aways from here I should say," he said frowning. "Can't believe they are this far up already… it's only been three years since the last sighting of this type." He followed the compys as they began hopping away, towards a small game trail. Probably had been made by a deer or something. Finn and Muldoon brushed away leaves and twigs as they followed the animals, careful to ensure that they were directly next to each other. "They're splitting up a bit now," he said as he looked at Muldoon. "There's something off about them, have you noticed?" He thought, trying to remember the last encounter.

"That is odd…" Muldoon thought as they went around a bend. He could still hear the chattering from the tourists, they were close now. "Five years is a damn short time…" He thought about it, the pieces were still too fragmented and disjointed. He couldn't even begin to try and say what it was at this time. "Getting warmer," Muldoon smiled as he noticed the man actually paying attention for the first time. "Yes, they are not fully grown yet…juvenile in fact." He said, giving the man a look, and resuming his attention to the animals in front of him. "Which makes me more concerned actually. Because you're timeline is off then. They're not here within three years, they must have been here earlier then that."

The compys had stopped, and Finn and Muldoon could see it was a small stream, in which there was an overturned log lying across the streambed. They scattered, and Finn was about to step forward, but again Muldoon stopped him. "Wait a second…" He could hear rustling in the brush, and stepped forward, indicating that Finn should follow. Something like this they needed to be together on. As he approached the log, he could feel himself being watched from the underbrush, waiting for either of them to stumble or trip. There was something moving in the breeze, and he stopped. "This what you saw?" He said, as he carefully reached out, and plucked something from the log. It had been caught slightly under; therefore it had not been washed away.

Finn walked around him to get a better look, and found himself utterly without comment. He took it in his hand, turning it over as he swallowed. It was a bluish green feather, the size and length of one, which he had handled not so very long ago… But it was not damaged, and it appeared to be of recent import. He narrowed his eyes. "Same kind of feather. As that one last time…" He turned around, as he took a deep breath. So it was still around. The damn thing was still around…"Okay, if these other things moved in three years…what's to say whatever laid this is still around?" And then he turned, thinking about it. He could think of only a few things that could cause something like this to move.


	9. Target of Opportunity

Opening day was drawing near, and the anticipation was getting to everyone. There was a tense feeling in the air, as if everyone was on edge. Why not after all? Clients were going to be visiting for the first time, and if all of this didn't go smoothly, that would be millions of dollars of investment down the drain. And Biosyn simply couldn't afford that. Therefore, there was checking, double-checking and triple checking. Every single system had to be absolutely perfect, not even the slightest flaw. They were all on a ticking clock here, and even with a time constraint hanging over them, they all had to keep up as best as they could. The Park would open on time, no matter what it took.

Karen Sellers maneuvered her jeep up the rocky roadm at the northern end of the preserve. Quiet here actually, since even though this was a designated zone, it had still been determined as a secure location for a bunker. There was a steep incline, a ridge road with a cliff face against it, and another one at its base. As a location the Quarry was a winding maze of gravel and rock, confusing to navigate, but in its own way, ensuring that it would actually be the most fortified of any of the Zones in this preserve. She turned left, activating the signal on her jeep so that the sonic pylon on one of the barriers would let her through. These barriers lined the road, to provide security so that nothing could get through that wasn't intended too.

Off to her right, she could see a plateau in one of the unsecured and 'wild' areas. There was already a small herd of animals here this early in the morning. Grazing most likely, on the small patches of grasses that sprung up here and there. Styraco-whatsits, she called them in her mind. There were only four or five of them here, she supposed the rest were probably off in the northern end somewhere. So long as they didn't bother her. Only issue she held with these frilled bastards is that they tended to sit right in the middle of the road, in the unsecured portions near the bases of the ridge road. But that was a problem for the animal handlers or veterinarians to deal with, not her.

Actually that was part of the reason she was even in the Zones today, because of the impending urgency of the park opening. As head of security, it was her responsibility to make sure that guests had the safest and least risky adventure that money could buy. Simulated thrills; danger without the risk. In a way it worked on the same principle as guided Safaris in Africa. Get the tourists all back in the car after taking photographs, easy enough right? Well, not so much. There were species here that she knew would be more then risky to integrate into a park setting. And the management of this place was such that there was literally only one zone that held animals that wouldn't pose a valid concern to the safety of guests.

Which was why she was heading to the bunker, which she could see atop the ridge road as she put the jeep into Gear. What they needed was someone who knew the animals, who had seen them before. Only someone like that could even hope to begin to try and formulate some manner in which to deal with the many issues they faced. Who better to get a park in shape then a dinosaur expert? She put the jeep in park, and opened the key to the bunker, her hand on her sidearm. Not that she thought she might need it, just in case the answers might not come easy. Upon entering, she came onto a small living room sized area, with a couch and a desk with a few chairs scattered.

There were maps and charts scattered on a table in the center, and at the table was a bearded man who looked as if he had been poring over them all night. He looked up as she entered, then scowled. "Hello, Richard." Karen began, as she smiled, trying to make it appear somewhat as if this was just a social visit, which it wasn't-and both of them knew that. "Bad time I take it, but we really do need your, uh…assistance with this one. See, we have guests scheduled soon and might need to ensure that the park is safe. Only person who has studied in depth about what happened last time is you. So uh… any co-operation might be helpful."

Richard Levine swiveled over in his chair to look at her. "Listen honey," he said his voice raspy. "This whole thing is one big pile of shit. You want to avoid the old mistakes, and you're making all new ones." He shook his head, pushing the papers away from him and placing his hand on his head. He took a breath and sighed. "You want to know what went wrong with the park last time? It didn't have anything to do with security measures or all that pretentious bullshit…" He was angry she could clearly see. "Listen, you. Biosyn shouldn't even be considering clients at this stage of the game. There are too many problems and your dinosaurs are barely one of them."

"But I think most of all, the issue is you people even having the gall to think you can open a park and everything will be fine…" Levine shook his head as he looked at the woman. "It will take more then what you got to make it work. Why you people need me I don't know…" He stood up, causing Karen to step back a bit, her hand to her side where her sidearm was. It was a barely perceptible movement, but Levine didn't notice. He instead, went over to the window, and looked out, sighing. "Look what you have here is something that's out of order-something transplanted sixty five million years from the present. Now you want to throw it back into mix."

Karen sighed, as she turned her head. She had known it wasn't going to be easy. Richard had been difficult ever since he had been brought into the project, although the circumstances were still unclear. She had asked Rossiter why the hell he would bring on someone who seemed so hostile to the project. But interactions with him were always like this, kept himself holed up in this little bunker…actually she didn't think she'd ever seen him out of it. But her job was to get him to at least give them some useful information, and damn if he was going to make it difficult, there were always other ways. "Listen, maybe you didn't give me a chance to say anything," she said, as she reached behind her, and took off her cap for Head of Security.

She let her ponytail fall back down to her shoulders, as she gave him a look. "Look Richard, what would you say If I said you didn't have to be out here? Maybe an administrative post, I think." She took a chair out, and leaned against it, as she went to go see what he was looking at. The window… it was made of bulletproof plexiglass of course, fortified like the rest of the structure, but it was also one way, so that one could look out, but no one could look in. There was a drop off just a bit below, from which could be seen a rocky plain with some grass and shrubs dotting it. She could see the animals he was looking at, it seemed to be the ones from before, the rest of the herd. Styraco-whatsits. She had an idea. "Listen Richard, tell me you don't look at these things and say they don't deserve to live," she said softly.

"_Styracosaurus albertensis_-" Levine said slowly, as he got out a notepad that he had kept by the windowsill, she saw now. There was already evidence of several pages of scribbles on it. Her idea was sounding better the more she thought about it really. Sometimes all things needed were a little push. "There's evidence that these animals may feed at multiple points during the day during their mating season… animals will tend to split off into sub-groups in order to feed during this time," he was mumbling to himself as he began scribbling in his book. It was obvious he was very absorbed in what he was doing, and as she saw every single line was being utilized in order to be written in. The animals were grunting now, as they began to spread out across the plain.

"This isn't such a good place to observe things is it?" Karen asked him as she looked at his notebook. "A scientist like you deserves better. There's so much that you are missing out just being here, only one-two species you can see from that window. What if I told you, there was the chance to not only see more-but walk alongside them in their natural habitat?" She leaned against the window, her brown hazel eyes staring at his, in what she hoped passed for an intimation of trust. He seemed to barely hear her at the moment, continuing his observations. Outside, two of the animals were kicking at the dirt, facing each other, their massive frills facing down.

"Dominance clashes happens during this time, but over prime feeding areas," Levine was noting, and then he looked up, as he turned his head towards her. "Ah, so is that your offer-your authorized to make?" He looked doubtful as he scratched his head, taking a deep breath. "I assume it comes with a catch doesn't it?" He looked guarded, a bit more then before. "And when you say walk among them…does that include every zone?" He stepped back, as if he were really considering it. "Every single zone… except for one. That's your guard dog isn't it? That goddamn invisible Carnotaur." He sighed, and leaned against the window. He didn't really have that many other choices, and she was hoping he would realize that sooner or later.

In his case, sooner would probably be better, she thought as she continued to watch him. Mission Control said that the man was mostly harmless, although she wasn't so sure. He seemed passionate about the animals that was for sure. Although she didn't share his viewpoint, she could at least affect to pretend sympathy here. Anything to get Levine to co-operate, although this wasn't her department. Sending the overseer of security out in the field like this, to the middle of the park. It had been a goddamn desk job; Rossiter had said when he hired her, that she didn't even have to lift a finger about. Well, she knew she would have a nice long conversation with Mr. Rossiter after this. But she let none of that show on her face now.

"Richard. You have an opportunity here. These animals exist, and nothing you can say will change that. But take this chance," She gestured to his notebook… "Because what if you let it slip then what?" She didn't know exactly what Rossiter planned to do if Levine refused, but she was throwing whatever incentives she could right now. "We have here something that we made, an ecosystem that is unlike any you have seen. Stable, and secure." She had some experience in public relations and she wondered if her attempts would work here, one could never tell. Especially when it was a situation like they had here, with a man who could be tense and difficult.

"You'll let me study them without distraction?" Levine turned around,holding the notebook in his hand. "You've made some…interesting changes to Hammond's dream, or at least Rossiter has." He appeared to be talking to himself just then, so she let that slide. Sighing, she stepped back not wanting to seem intrusive as that might cause him to edge further away from possibly making a deal here. She nodded wordlessly, to signal that yes it was possible. "You'll need the data I can provide," he said narrowing his eyes. "But first you have to let me out of here… it's getting kind of cramped and I've already looked through everything worth reading in here," his tone was rather snippy, she thought. He had been treated well though, and she didn't completely understand why Rossiter insisted that personnel lock the door after they left him.

She nodded, turning partially away from him as she thought it over. The risk was minimal, and he seemed to really be engrossed in his study. However, there was always a chance however slight that he could be trying to play her for a fool. It wasn't one she could take lightly. "I'll discuss it with Rossiter, but to be honest I don't think he'll have too many objections to it." It was true, they didn't know the animals to the extent a trained expert like Levine would be able to. He could interpret things in ways they could never really. She took her cap, and held it in her hand. "Although I think they'll most likely start you off slowly, this general area seems like a good start." Plus it had the bunker with food and water, which many of the other zones lacked so far.

It seemed she was about done here, and so she checked her watch. Twenty minutes or so, that was easy. Or maybe not. She couldn't tell with this man, since his motivations were seemingly different from these of others she had to deal with from within the company and outside. But she didn't like it for some reason, even if she was the one that had made the deal. Maybe it was because she wasn't sure if she had the authority for it. Or maybe it was because she just felt that it might be risky for her career. But she thought the park wasn't going into its grand opening just yet, so someone else could babysit the paleontologist. But she shoed none of this on her face, giving him a smile that was convincing.

"So I'll be back after I clear it with the higher ups," she said shrugging casually as she put her cap back on. He seemed to nod once, whether it was because he didn't care or because he was taken in by her act she didn't know. It didn't really matter anyways, that was for damn sure. She was going to get what Biosyn wanted, and That information would surely come in handy later. If not now, then surely it would pay some sort of dividends forward, she could well imagine. She nodded, as she saw Levine sitting back at his table, staring at his notes. He seemed engrossed in them, and she thought again that maybe it was too easy. But then again, that was one less thing to be worried about perhaps. Perhaps maybe… she shook her head, trying to let go of her worry. There was nothing to be worried about, she thought as she closed the door and walked to her jeep. Everything was going to be fine.

After all, the park was still about an year or two away from completion. What could go wrong? And the better part, she could go back to her desk, and not have to worry about academics. Or even pretend to be sympathetic towards men she had no feeling for at all. It was all part of a job, a pain in the ass, but still something she had to see that it got done. She fired up the engine, and sighed again as she saw that there was one of these Styraco-whatsits lying down on the road in front of her. She looked to her side, and confirmed that there were two large pylons bordering the road. Well, at the least Rossiter like to make it easy. She pressed a button on her dash, and the effect was instantaneous. There was a slight buzzing sound, but the animal got up, as if very agitated.

"Yeah, you better run," She said sarcastically as the ceratopsian bellowed, then ran off the path down into the gravel field. That was certainly one of the better integrations into the park, Sonic fences. She had better things to do, like getting back to her desk. After all…the park wasn't going to be opening for a while right?


	10. Black Sheep

Finn Recoiled from the godawful smell as he covered his mouth to keep from throwing up. He stepped back, as he let Muldoon step forward, and kneel down in front of the dead sheep. The man seemed stoic, turning the animal over with his bare hands as he disregarded the flies that seemed to be buzzing everywhere. Yeah, Finn was going to let the other man handle that for now. He looked around, taking deep breaths and trying to clear his mind. He paced a bit, watching the herd of sheep graze undisturbed by the loss of one of their own. It seemed that they had almost completely forgotten what had disturbed them that morning. It was disturbing in a way, he couldn't place his finger on it.

The rancher was standing in the background, anxiety and worry on his face. Well, Finn could sympathize, but in this situation he though that regrettably there was little he could do about it. As it was, they were lucky to have stumbled onto this situation at all really. Finn had scanned the newspapers for a long time; it was one of the ways he determined whether anomalies existed in the nearby vicinity. It was a small piece about a security job for an isolated ranchero, and his senses had perked for whatever reason. Answering the phone, he had been casual about it, asking if there were any risk factors for the job, what to look out for. But there had been one slip, the man had said it was about guarding the herd especially, but not the ranch itself.

The next phone call had been made to Muldoon. Since their last joint trip, he had many things to think about. First, someone else knew of these anomalies, and seemed to know more about them. Even had managed to capture one of them, although how the hell he had managed that, or what specimen it was, Finn had no explanation. But at Acapulco, they had gone back to where he had seen…. something. And then they had found something, although not quite what he had been expecting. Which was why he had called him again. Because in this search for anomalies, he had been doing it alone for a long time…and now he had someone who knew what the hell they were dealing with, knew it more then just out of a book.

He could see the car from here, he thought as he paced the ground. Muldoon was still studying the corpse for what seemed like the longest time. It was damn lucky that they had gotten here when they did, since when Muldoon had heard of the situation, he had insisted they travel there immediately. But then he saw that Muldoon was standing now, gesturing to Finn to look. "See on the side here?" He was pointing to several deep slashes on the side of the ram. It had been a fully mature ram, and there were slashes at least deep enough to have caused immediate death. It would have been traumatic, but the animal did not suffer. "It attacks its prey not like a lion, but rather hit it hard from the side. Sheep didn't even know what hit him most likely."

Finn nodded, faint memories of long ago appearing. "So it was one of the larger animals," he said, comprehending as he tried to narrow down the possibilities. Of the three he immediately thought of, he had to dismiss the first one almost immediately as impossible. The thing Muldoon had kept in his backyard…somehow he got the feeling it didn't kill like this. That left two things, and he thought about the feather he had in his pocket, thinking that was certainly likely. But then again…he remembered the sewers, the flash of something beyond all comprehension and rational thought and in his horror seeing only a fraction of what the true animal really was.

He turned to the rancher, ready to ask what it was, but the man seemed repulsed by the sight of the dead animal. Kept muttering something about 'Jaguar, Jaguar'. Well, might be, but even Finn knew that this slaughter was way too sloppy for a Jaguar to have made. Reminded him of something…and as he turned, he could see a similar look in Muldoon's eyes as well. He was remembering, almost as much as he was now. The rancher was almost panicked, and he realized he would get nothing out of him. "It's not a goddamn jaguar," he muttered to Muldoon as he looked at the wound marks. No. It was too obvious and he really was puzzled. What could have destroyed that lamb so easily?

He looked around, and saw that it really was not that much cover to try and hide in. There was an apparent copse of trees in the far distance but he didn't particularly want to try that. Too far, and they were too exposed as he thought again with a frown. "Can you figure out where it entered from at least?" He asked the other man, thinking at the least he could try and determine a trajectory of direction. They could get other valuable evidence, at least try and confirm something. But from what he had no idea. But Muldoon seemed to agree, as he began stepping back from the area, looking down to see if there was indeed something he had missed.

"There's a trackway here, it's really odd…" Muldoon was observing as he stared at the desert floor. He was frowning as he studied the path, trying to discern if there might be something he was missing. "Yes, there is faint sign here although its been covered up by the herd." He looked up, over at the gate and stared, as if he was intent. Blinking, he sighed as he walked over, and looked. "Ah come here boy," he said as he gestured over again. "You'll want to see this." Finn leaned over the fence, trying to see what it was. He could seesomething faint in the dust, like a disturbance, two evenly spaced markings…footprints? Oh yes they were footprints, just very faint indeed.

Finn felt his interest level increase exponentially as he examined them alongside Muldoon. He measured it with his hand, and found that it was slightly large enough for him to fit hish and in. That was interesting…It was like a birds almost, except too large for any bird that was around this place. He thought of the feather in his pocket, and then considered the fence. But then he could see that whatever had jumped had climbed… there were abrasions on part of the other side of the fence too. He frowned, as he and Muldoon jumped over the fence, looking up. There seemed to be a trail of some sort, and it led out into the back country. Not towards the grove of trees, no but out to a ditch where there were brambles and thorns.

Well that made sense, he thought as he looked down at the ditch, shaking his head. "These things don't make it easy to follow," he said giving a short and humorless laugh. Actually he was peeved off if anything, but didn't show this in his face right now. But before he could say anything, Muldoon was already climbing down, even though it was relatively shallow as compared to some others. Finn declined the chance to go down there, figuring he would rather walk from above, see where exactly they were going. From where he could see though, the Ditch led out for a while, off into the distance .It seemed more of a natural ditch that had been expanded by people then anything else to be quite honest.

But Muldoon seemed quite intent, almost like a bloodhound who had just isolated a scent. Actually if there was anyone going to find anything in this crap it would most likely be Muldoon. He thought that was what was most likely going to happen after all, since he was supposed to be a hunter. At the least when he had looked him up, Finn had found that Muldoon had quite the reputation about him, he was known not only for being a hunter, but also one of the best trackers in Kenya. So if there was anything in there to find, he was sure that Muldoon would dig it up somehow or someway. If it was there to find at all, he realized with a sigh. After all, the brush was pretty thick down there.

However Muldoon was still at it and begrudgingly, Finn had to give the man credit. He just didn't give up, no matter how hopeless it seemed to be able to find anything. Finn would have gone home satisfied with the photograph documentation of the footprint.., but it seemed Muldoon was after something more even as he walked. They were still nowhere close to brush or cover; very much out in the open and so Finn had to wonder just how far Muldoon really wanted to go here. Was he looking for another footprint or something? He had no clue but he didn't wish to disrupt him given that he seemed to have this level of concentration. But then Muldoon was pulling at something in the brush, and he turned to look and see what it was.

Hell, it was open country anyway so he jumped in the ditch beside Muldoon, wanting to see what it was. Muldoon was standing beside him, pointing to something. Finn blinked as the shrub got pushed to the side, not understanding for a second what he was looking at. Then he did, stepping back in shock and surprise. well the last location had given him some sense of what to look for, but right here it was more out of the blue then anything. He was looking at some crushed white remnants of something, the larger pieces curving and vaguely ovoid. Frowning, he picked some up, turning it over in his hands as he inspected it. "This is what I think it is?" He asked, and looked up to see Muldoon nodding. He took his satchel out from his shoulder, and gingerly placed the egg fragment in it. Crappy storage but at least it would serve as some sort of evidence.

They would have to come up with some bullshit reason to give it to a specialist though, but right now he was liking what he was seeing. This was something that had potential, very much so to be something of a greater find then before at least for him. Potentially even larger then seeing live animals back in Acapulco, but that was small stuff in comparison to this. He had physical evidence of the bigger anamolies now, something that couldn't be shaken off as a deformed lized unlike many of the smaller bogies. "Wonder what crushed the eggs," he said partly to himself, as expected his question was met withonly a grunt as Muldoon continued to search the area. He was careful though in his search, not tearing indiscriminately, but instead making room for evidence to possibly be found.

"There," he said again as he succeeded in tearing apart the brush that was right behind the crushed shells. It revealed more, showing the outlines of a nest and some more shells. Finn looked them over, trying to find pieces large enough to fit in his evidence bag. As he did so, he got out his map, and marked this spot with a red X so that he would be able to relocate it again if there were ever another report of an anomaly. But it didn't seem like there might be… "The eggs were crushed recently," Muldoon was saying as he studied the dirt around the nest. "The sign can't be more then a day old, I would say a day and a half at most." He was frowning as he continued to search, as if he knew what that might mean.

"So whatever it is might still be in the area?" Finn looked around again but still saw nothing, The area around them might as well continue to be the desert it appeared to any casual observer. "Goddamit, it seems so close and yet so far." He groaned as he took out his map and pen. This was a ways from Acapulco, but he thought it deserved mention all the same on his listings. If he could only get more of a sense from this maybe… He looked up and saw Muldoon frowning as he scanned the area too, then looking down again. Was there something they were missing? Because right now, the only tracks they could see were still obscured and hard to make out in this underbrush. But there seemed to be a disturbance as he made his way through the thick brush. Some thing that was surely coming from the opposite direction as the tracks.

Finn got down on his knees, tracing the outline of the path from the resort to here on his knee. It seemed that the geography of the surrounding area seemed odd, somehow intriguing. He was about to say something when Muldoon kicked at a slight overhang in the dirt, and it sent some rocks rumbling down. There was something that had been wedged in the rock he could see that now, and then it fluttered down to the ground. Muldoon held it up within his fingers. The blue feather shone in the daylight, as he twirled it up on his fingers. As he did so, Finn put the map to the side, digging into his pocket looking for something really fast. It was the feather from Acapulco, the same one that they had taken from the log there. He held it up against the other, and found that for the most part they seemed to match.

"Jackpot," Finn said as he considered the implications. But the markings on the sheep… they had not been anything like a bird, and Muldoon had seemed to almost recognized them. But whatever it was, he looked at where it was found. There was a disturbance in the slope, but that was on the opposite side, and where the feather had been found, that was whatever it was reorienting itself. But this was big; he knew that. Evidence of two larger anomalies in the same space? This was possibly around something, and about something that was larger then he had anticipated. He had thought that before, but the trail of things…led him to believe that he had somewhere to go at long last.

"Well, I think we have a lead," he said as Muldoon stood up. He put the rest of the eggshell pieces into his satchel, figuring that the evidence was solidified for now. At least he thought they had enough of a lead to get something worked out or so he was thinking. Both of the men began to climb up the slope again, dusting themselves off as they got up on the main floor of the area. "Think we can put a lead on the thing for now. I think we know where we need to go next." He said, taking his map out. "It's closer then you think…" he trailed off as he looked around, seeing beyond the grove of the trees for the first time. There seemed to be a row of low hills in the distance… he thought he could almost see them from where he was.

Muldoon stared off into the distance as if in thought. Or maybe it was contemplation. "All right," he said, as if he was thinking about things harder. "Just lead the way and I'll follow…" He said, looking at Finn with an amused look in his eyes. Almost as if there was something only just now coming into his sights that he had not thought of before. "Well, if it is, might we just need to take another look around then?" He asked, gesturing to the car. Finn nodded, thinking there was something else he was trying to figure out. The piece was putting itself down into its last slot, even as they walked back to the car together.

He took out his map as Muldoon leaned over to see. The rancher was still looking bewildered in the distance, especially when they had apparently done nothing to resolve his situation. But that was only because they had figured that there was something that was larger. "Right now we got evidence of two anomalies in one place," he said. "But they are not staying in one place…" He saw Muldoon's interested look as he looked out at the ranch. "Migration," Thomas Finn said as he came to his conclusion. "The animals began at an origination point somewhere down here in Costa Rica," he said pointing as he remembered. "But they seemed to have in general followed a path that can easily be traced."

He could see it down in his map, the little red dots that he had marked in the map. It made a sort of line, generally following an organized track with the exception of some small deviations that he had seen now and again in his travels. He couldn't explain these, but right now he thought he had some idea or solution. "Something is luring them all to some focal point, some central position. Now I have no idea how the hell or what it is. A food source, some natural instinct. Hell the way I can figure it out it's a one-way journey for now. But whatever the source, it's close and I can smell it."

Muldoon laughed, and started the car. "Well, seems like we need to pay the final destination a little visit."


	11. Convergence

The convoy of jeeps kicked up a stir of dust as they traveled up the desert road. There was no other sound in the air except for the radio as they reached the plateau, entering the valley through a pass barely noticeable. The road was winding although the expanse was unobstructed, and there was a general ambience about it that was somehow untamed. Although the hand of man could still very much be seen, it just was better hidden then before. There was a thin line of shrubs across the valley floor, it was seen as they lined the road. The only markings really, but it was just enough to be noticeable. The jeeps were singleminded in their trajectory, leaving the low hills behind.

Ahead, the sun was rising at the opposite end of the valley, and thus a massive structure could be seen. It was nearly comparable to the walls of Troy, but unlike there being a thousand ships, there was only desert that it faced not the ocean. The structure had no outward features, but spread in all directions, covering nearly the width of the entire valley, some miles across. It was an imposing structure, the light catching it faintly, and it's flying buttresses struck against the sunlight. At least fifty feet tall, the iron and tempered steel shone against the sunlight, greeting the arriving jeeps. It did not stand alone however, and there was a row of concentric cyclone fences around it, each ring spaced apart.

The jeeps were nearing the first fence, on which could be seen a guard tower of sorts. The window of the jeep rolled down, and a man leaned out, showing his identification to the guard. "Code is five, zero nine." He said, as he lifted his hat so that the guard would be able to see his face. The guard nodded, checking something off and doing a scan of the badge. He nodded with him, giving him a pass for the next guard tower. The driver gave him a nod and continued down the path, following the gate as he traveled towards the next checkpoint. There were about two or three more checkpoints to pass, but after the third, his jeep and the rest broke free of the last fence. Just beyond the final fence, there was an open area, with delineated spaces for parking.

The doors opened and the men walked out of the three jeeps. They were a steely lot, four or five in total. Two men per jeep with only one in the last. Roland Roland Tembo adjusted his hat as he walked out of his jeep, and looked out. There was an obtrusion in the wall he could see, there seemed to be a separate building connected to the main structure through a glass walkway. He and his associates took several briefcases out of their jeeps, and headed towards the structure. As they entered the interior of the structure, they were greeted not by security, but by a man in a dark suit standing there as he had expected them. He directed the others to lay down their briefcases, and the other four did so. But Tembo still held on to his, staring the man in the eye.

"When I heard your offer Mr. Rossiter, Naturally I was intrigued…but I will be maintaining hold of my own weapon for the time being," he said calmly. The security men took the briefcases away to a back room, but did not obstruct him. However Tembo was impatient now, because he had gone through Rossiter's little game to get here. The structure was impressive, he would grant the other man that, but there was something that might be lacking a bit. Maybe it was character; he didn't know exactly what it might be. But there was something in the substance. But if this man's promises rang true, he thought it could potentially be something that would prove to lead to the biggest trophy in his life.

"You'll get your weapons back after our staff does a thorough inspection, make sure they are up to the standards of the park," Rossiter announced to the group. "As for you Mr. Tembo, your reputation precedes you to the point where I don't have to have your items checked out. Although I am certain that you will only have to wait a short while to begin. As for when your safari will start, we are still getting prepared. I must say though that you have the honor of being the first guests ever to visit." He took a step as he instructed them to follow through the narrow hall, which widened as they passed by some doors. Most of which appeared to be simple security doors, but others storage areas.

Eventually it widened out into a hallway that met the hall at a T-intersection, and continued in both directions. But there was sign roping off one side though, with another directing visitors to head left. As they did, there was a subtle shift in tone and direction. A mural lined part of the wall, showing lush jungle foliage, expansive grassland, and a rocky slope. There seemed to be a concerted effort to showcase each part, and next to the murals were legends on the top saying 'Zone 1, Zone 2, and so on. After the murals there were computer displays showing each of the empty zones, and interactive maps of each of them. It was intended no doubt, for a person to peruse should they be interested in investigating each zone before they entered.

But Tembo paid it no attention, and neither did his companions. They operated on knowing what the area was, but letting the exact and precise geography be a surprise to themselves. This way the animal could go it's own way, and there would still be the thrill of tracking something wounded, of bringing it to bay. Indeed, that was part of the thrill of the hunt, what made it such an exhilarating thing to witness indeed. But if what Rossiter had presented him was an example of what he had to offer and not merely a deformed lizard, then this was something. But Rossiter still had a lot to prove, he thought as he walked through the hall, he and his companions observing the displays on both sides idly.

It was clear that this side went on for some while, and they passed by several other displays as they walked. It was similar in construction to the ones that they had already passed, but also closely emphasizing different parts and aspects of the areas that they were representing. Tembo mused that this was an interesting setup that was for damn sure, and could very well be practically utilized in an interesting fashion if done right. Then the hall seemed to widen again and there as a bona fide exhibit. He was amused as he saw what appeared to be a large fossil on display with a caption-"what destroyed the dinosaurs-seeing the fallen giants". So they really were serious about this were they. He was more then a bit amused now.

So they did have the balls to claim they could deliver. More then a lot of people really. He looked up and Rossiter was slowing, as the man began being flanked by security officers who had come from a side door. Tembo made the mental note that there was a parallel hallway concurrent to the one they were currently walking down. That might be useful later. As for now, he could see that they were being led to a area where there was light coming in from the wall, and he turned to look. It seemed that there was a window-wall just to the right, and it stretched for about a hundred or so meters. There were sensors at the top and bottom and a thin rail that was up against it. A sign on the side said 'Viewing sample station 1-Zone 4," and Tembo frowned. A preview? He felt a vague sense of unease.

"You'll get your guns back in a while gentlemen," Rossiter was saying as he directed their attention to outside. They could all see what appeared to be a grassy plain, with a few shrubs and trees in the far distance. There was a silence as the men spread out, seeing nothing yet. "I promise you gentlemen… in a few seconds you will have the proof that you desire," He said, as he sat down in a chair besides the viewing portal. Tembo crossed his arms in skepticism, really wondering if this was going to be as good as Rossiter was promising. After all, he had gone into Mexico for the sake of hunting something which would be a unique prize, but everything so far was putting him off. Truth was, whether Rossiter was telling the truth would be the least of his worries. He was wondering right now if it might actually be worse if he was.

But a nagging voice told him that he had to compromise here. After all, where else would he get this sort of opportunity? He had hunted every trophy animal on this planet, and was very much desirous of a hunt that would challenge him. No, that was the wrong descriptor. He needed a challenge, to keep him aware and able to perform to his fullest capability. Without it, he would not even be able to begin to attempt to figure out how to fully exist. But there was something. "Gentlemen," Rossiter was apparently studying a handheld monitor, and Tembo took a glance. There were several infrared signatures but he couldn't make out what they were or were supposed to be. It was clear they would find out soon enough. "I believe you will see soon that we do not exaggerate on our promises," he said.

We'll see about that, Tembo thought privately, but kept his face impassive for now. But then he let a expression of surprise flicker across his face, as something came into his field of vision. At first he thought it was a blur, but it was too large for that. Because it was slightly taller then a man, but about the length of a school bus. It was darkish green and bipedal, lumbering through the grass past them. It looked almost lizard-like in the pebbled texture of its skin;he could see that, and the large head contrasted with the size of it's neck. It looked at him, and stared for a few seconds before turning away, leaning down to graze on some grasses through it's beak-like mouth. "Hadrosaurus Foukii" a voice was recorded through and overhead speaker. "It's name means sturdy lizard, and was a herbivore from the late Cretaceous Period."

"You did it, you son of a bitch," Tembo muttered under his breath. He had his doubts even after seeing the lizard-thing but now there could be nothing but clear and utter certainty. The others were dumbstruck, he had not told them what to expect, only that it was surely worth their time. And as they could all see, there was a high probability it would be. As he continued watching, his active predator's mind seeking already possibilities where it's heart would be, the vital functions, he noticed other animals approaching. There were about three or four more, and they bellowed, sounded quite nasally as they did so in their approach. "You made living breathing specimens… how did you do this?" He asked, turning to face Rossiter.

Upon which Rossiter only smiled, and turned to look at the animals, all now grazing in a semicircle. It occurred to Tembo vaguely that this was only one zone of at least five… But then Rossiter was tugging at his shoulder, telling him to go a particular direction. "I'll show you," he said with a smile as he led them further.

"Did you see all of that?" Muldoon was asking as he turned to face Finn. He had his Weatherby out, it only had two rounds in it as he was mainly using it for the scope. But it was an expensive one, which he could use right now to see things at a far enough range that most could not. Which was why he and Finn were on top of the nearby hill, staring down at the large structure. They had witnessed the jeeps arriving, as well as the men entering the building. It was all interesting, as from his vantage point, Muldoon could see that the structure encompassed nearly all of the visible valley as he could see. Maybe a couple miles in diameter. But he still couldn't see a damn thing over the walls, that was what was blocking his vision.

Finn nodded next to him, writing furiously in his notebook. Muldoon didn't know what the hell he could possibly be writing, but wondered what importance to assess the structure in all of this. They had seen the jeeps enter at an angle, and as he refocused his scope, he could see there being a back entrance of sorts. There was another vehicle moving, and it seemed to have a horse trailer of some sort as it maneuvered. He felt his blood run cold, although it was too far away for him to see anything. But the similarity was unmistakable. As he watched, the trailer maneuvered through the gate, and as it reached the structure, entered through a slight garage that was barely visible. That was interesting but besides that there was nothing he could base proof on really.

They were here because Finn had gauged the direction of the footprints to have been heading for the hills, and upon climbing one, had seen this valley. It seemed like a rocky crag, but they were at a low pass where crossing to the other side was possible. "Theories, Mr. Finn?" Muldoon asked as he looked at the other man. Finn looked at him for a second, and stopped writing, pausing as he stood up and looked at the structure. He seemed confused, and Muldoon couldn't blame him overmuch. But then the man stepped forward, and gasped. He knelt down, and was staring further down the slope. Muldoon did not fail to notice and immediately swiveled his scope down to observe.

Ah, there they were, about halfway down the slope. The Compys, about three or four of them. They were too far away to notice the men, so that was good. The only reason he hadn't been concerned back in Acapulco was because it was close enough to civilization for the Compys to try anything. But here, they were at the base of the hill in the valley, obscured from outside sight by a series of large rocks that led all the way to the base of one of the gates. He could see them, but there was something odd. It seemed they were heading in the opposite direction from the structure. He frowned, and adjusted the sights as he narrowed the vision down again. Interesting, there were a series of tracks along where the Compys were walking, and it showed as slightly larger on his scope then the small indentions the Compys were making.

"I think you might have your answer Finn," he said as he stood up, looking down at the structure with a grim look. He didn't say that the answer was going to be good or maybe what Finn wanted to hear, but no matter. He was going to have to do it he realized. This structure was connected to what they had both been searching for. Somehow. Then as he moved, he realized what he had been stepping on. A feather. Blue like the one at Acapulco and in the opposite side of the valley. Interesting…"We're going to have to go in," he said to Finn who was furiously scribbling in his notebook again, probably about another 'anamoly sighting'. "I'm going to say it once, I have a feeling that this will be something beyond anomalies… we've reached a convergence point, he said as he looked down the slope. Yes, he should have realized, and he hadn't been looking out for it.

This wasn't a low pass. This was a game trail, heading straight down to the valley below.


	12. Cage

Levine looked out at the expanse of grassland, his notebook on his lap. He was making notes as he watched, the fascination growing inside of him. The animals were grazing again, and he watched the herd of Parasaurs feeding by the shore. There did not seem to be that much to disturb them, he thought as he made his observations from the hood of the jeep. In fact, they seemed unperturbed by the presence of the jeep, or of the humans nearby. That was another interesting fact, he thought to himself as he continued. But then again, he had to remind himself occasionally that he was not here on a social call.

The woman was behind the wheel of the Jeep, and Levine could see that she looked bored, and was checking her watch. Head of Security? Levine thought to himself wrly as he shook his head in disbelief as he opened the sack lunch she had brought him from somewhere inside these walls that were surrounding them now. He bit into his sandwich as he continued observing. Now the Parasaurs were spreading out, and as he took this chance to see how many there were in their group. In this herd there seemed… four, five…six? He wasn't sure, but then again he had to check his binoculars as he noticed something. A Juvenile? But it seemed to be tracked with one particular adult, the herd wasn't gathered around it.

Another interesting tidbit, he noted as he thought about it. Parasaurs were gentle most of the time, at least from what he had observed on the High Hide in Sorna. And they were at the water's edge, he noticed. Some gears began to work in his mind, as he thought about it. "How about we get closer to the animals?" He asked the woman, as he jumped off of the hood, and got into the passenger seat. As he did so, he noticed her sitting up straight, trying not to appear as if she had been disinterested. She gave him a look, and Levine was able to get a proper look at her. Mid-Thirties, blonde-brunette, he couldn't really tell under this cap, all pulled into a ponytail or whatever the hell it was supposed to be.

"What's wrong with how close we are now?" She asked him, in a tone that wasn't really argumentative as it was defensive. Levine remembered how she had set herself up as someone who could be talked to, be trusted. Amusing really, but if there was anything Confucius had taught him, without Trust, life was not worth living. So he would give her the benefit of a doubt. Anyways, she didn't seem to be nearly like Rossiter or Ed James had been. But then again, it could all be an act. After all, there had to have been some reason she got the Head of Security position. He turned and looked back at the Parasaurs, seeing where they were going to now. "Fine, I guess if you need to get closer, then." She relented upon seeing his face looked determined. She started up the car, and as she did so, Levine took a breath and got out his notebook again.

The Parasaurs didn't take much notice of their approach, even in the car. Levine took note of that too, since they seemed now to be clustered around something. There were tall reeds along the lakeside the Parasaurs were feeding on, and that was where they were heading. "So what's the story on the cloning process for these things?" He asked Ms. Sellers, to try and ease the tension. That was probably best, work up to asking more difficult questions. Also he had seen no ring on her finger, so he thought that should be safe to call her that. "I'm assuming with all these specimens that you didn't just hunt down in the jungles like the last time." Although there were faces like the Carnotaur that he thought could possibly be from Ismaloya, there were others that he hadn't even seen from Sorna.

The Styracosaurs were particularly troubling, although he thought he remembered reading them as being on the list from his InGen computer back at his apartment. But the last time he had not heard anything about an intrusion at Sorna…and there was nothing useable from Nublar. Anyway, these animals looked as if they were a couple of years old too, which was something else that was bothering him. He mentally filed it down, wondering if he was going to get his answer. She seemed to be thinking, even as she steered the car in a half circle towards the animals. "I don't know all the details," she said as she turned to give him a look. "this place tells you pretty much what you need to know, but I'm sure there's a tourist presentation somewhere," she seemed to brush it offhandedly.

He should have expected that to be honest, but it didn't seem like an intentional exclusion of information. Which was odd, because it had been as if she was giving him information but not at the same time. "Yeah, I see…" he affected distraction by the Parasaurs. Maybe he had been too direct in asking about the cloning process, he saw that now. But the car was parked sideways next to the clump of reeds and he could see the bulking form of the Parasaur passing by the car as he saw it pass by him. Damn, he had forgotten how large these animals were, ever since Sorna he hadn't truly been close to animals of this large scale. Ismaloya had offered him a glimpse, but nothing more.

He got out as it stopped, and she got out too, and he noticed she looked a little nervous. Had she spent much time out here? Her hand was continually hovering over her sidearm-odd behavior for a chief of security. "So you new to the job?" Levine asked, sort of distractedly. Maybe a bit on purpose. She wanted to play a game affecting his trust; two could play this. So she thought he was just going to go along with this, well truth was he was in their power… but he didn't think of himself as helpless as they probably pictured him. He walked toward the Parasaurs, seemingly not paying attention to anything but the animals.

Levine walked forward, nearing the circle where the animals were. He could see a bit closer now, that a few of the adults seemed to be lumbering away as they made their approach. There was a pause as he stepped aside, waiting for several of the larger animals to continue their grazing. Interestingly enough, he noticed that even though there was sufficient expanse of grassland, the animals were going no further then a hundred meters away from the water. He frowned, something in his head not exactly figuring things out. It seemed to recall another behavior he thought, one that shouldn't be happening here. The woman didn't seem to notice, but she appeared as if she had been lost in thought.

He could use this lull to try and see what was getting them so caught up. But then the woman was starting to talk. "Well…I've been working with Biosyn for a bit of time," she said, seemingly fidgeting with her cap. "It just seemed like it was a new and engaging opportunity at the time." Levine heard, but didn't acknowledge straightaway. Cagey answers, he thought to himself. Not wanting to give too much of herself away. And he could understand that. Because this was still a game of trust for the most part, and he knew what she was trying to do. No doubt they had briefed the team here on the events in Ismaloya, and what had happened to Ms. Stone So was this…?

"Do you often go out into the park?" He asked again, noting her outfit some. It didn't seem that dirty, although she gave him what appeared to be a curious look when he did. There was the ghost of a smile, and Levine felt vaguely odd for some reason, as he stepped out of the way of a Juvenile Parasaur, that was moving past him and stepped to take a drink at the water's edge. "They are a family unit, is that…?" He saw what he had been looking for. It was a low mound that was surrounded by a few of the Paras. As he neared, they gave a low trumpeting call, and he stopped in shock. They were staring at him; there was a moment of hesitation as he thought. They hadn't reacted this way when he had been nearing them when they were feeding.

There was something there, but he wasn't sure. "Well, only when there's something that needs looking over…" She seemed a bit hesitant, unsure. And Levine thought in the back of his mind why there was something that would need looking over. Why would she be? Anyways, he looked around, wondering why exactly something would need looking over. It seemed that they had a tighter setup here then the previous park on Nublar had, if Malcolm had told him the facts correctly. They had mostly herbivorous species here so why…"But we don't have them that often, only when it's something to do with the one Carnotaur or one of the other animals that have a defensive capabilities."

"And what about animals defending their nests?" He asked rhetorically as he backed up slowly. The Parasaurs were still honking, obviously attempting to drive him away. But he could tell it was a nest, there were at least three-four eggs inside. He blinked, realizing…the animals could breed. Why would Biosyn create a population that could sustain itself? He thought costs, which was the first thing that stuck in his mind. But as the animals drew nearer, he could see the woman reaching for her gun, clearly odd. For that matter, he thought of something else. These animals were alone in this zone with perhaps only one other species….his mind was still trying to figure out a connection.

But then he had an idea even as the Parasaurs advanced on them, bellowing and trying to drive the both of them away from the nest. Levine cupped his hands together, bellowing as he tried to imitate their pitch, remembering how it had been back on Sorna. He blew hard as he felt a trumpeting sound come out, it sounding like a low whistle but somehow coming out deep and bleating. The animals stopped their advance for a second, but then seemed to step forward again. Either he wasn't being convincing enough or just they didn't care at all. In the corner of his eye, he could see Ms. Sellers reaching for her radio, probably to call for backup. "Wait, I already got it…I've done this before," he said to reassure her.

He stepped forward, and noticed that the Parasaurs were closer. He thought they might be coming to bear down too quickly, and so he was prepared to jump out of the way. But it would catch him if he tried making a leap for the nest. The woman's backup would be too late to help out, he thought to himself. So he thought he might try a last ditch method, and organized his hands cupped in front of his mouth in a crossways way. He blew again, and this time it was a long low trumpeting sound. Sounded more like how one of the animals had sounded this time. He could only pray this worked. He was so engrossed, he felt there was a low buzzing, but his adrenaline wasn't registering it.

As he looked up, he saw the Parasaur quickly turning all of a sudden, as he quickly jumped out of the way. Needlessly maybe, but it seemed that it worked. The animal was turning away. He had diverted it? He turned back to show relief, and saw her putting the radio back, visibly relieved. The Paras were retreating now, and he continued walking, passing the giants as he headed towards the nest. Odd, the Paras were retreating, but now they seemed almost agitated. That was more then a bit odd, but he put it out of his mind as he went to inspect the nest. The Paras were passing him now, and this was interesting, the behavior they were exhibiting. They were wading in the shallows of the lake, up to their thighs… he blinked as he realized. Goddamn it they were swimming. He would have to take a note of this, since it could potentially be important. Maybe in the whole picture of this place.

He'd joked about animals defending their nests a few seconds ago, but hadn't really thought about it until now. Why should they have such a reaction towards him? He had not seen presence of animal handlers around here, and the creatures seemed to be pretty free roaming. Even their foodstuffs were situated in their habitat, so that the park could save on feed. So why this behavior? He turned his head to the side, trying to rationalize it and nothing he could think of could provide a reasonable answer, or at least one that would satisfy him. But both of them were at the nest now, and he leaned down, as he began to study it. Interesting, he could count there were at least seven or eight eggs in this clutch. He frowned, as he looked around. There were a few things about this again that bothered him.

One, this didn't really make sense. Not his first time seeing a Para nest, since with all of the cameras he had in place in the network, he had been able to determine finally where the Parasaurs were nesting on Sorna. But from what he recalled, their clutch numbers had been at least twelve to fifteen, and that was assuming varied factors, ones that he didn't see here. He stood up, thinking he had seen something possibly that could help him put in more pieces. As he stepped away from the nest, the Parasaurs began to swim towards shore, bellowing to attempt to frighten him away from their offspring. But he didn't notice, only turning an egg-shell over in his hands. Seemed to have been broken recently.

"Interesting that you let them breed," he said carefully although he knew she would probably claim that wasn't her department. "The number I'm seeing here with the eggs… it doesn't make sense," he looked at Karen. The number was right, that wasn't what he was disputing, but there were several things that were all off. For instance the egg here, it had been broken recently, but there was something about it, he thought about the angle of the fracture. It just didn't read right to him, although he wondered why it should be that way. The woman seemed distracted, and he thought to hell with it, she wanted to prove she could be trusted; here was her chance. Tell him what the hell was going on here. "Where are your extras going?"

Karen said nothing as they walked back to the jeep; it seemed almost like a painful and strained silence. Levine forced himself to remember that no matter what she said, she was still an employee of Biosyn… as high ranking as her position seemed to be, would probably have that interest at heart. "Richard," she said before getting in. She took off her cap, and was looking at him, her face looking…he couldn't quite describe it. "There's something you should know about this place…it isn't exactly meant for tourists." Levine frowned as she said that, because right now the setup was really confusing the hell out of him. "There's a reason I don't come out to the park that often, it's because that the clients we do want to attract are…" she fidgeted with the door handle.

Levine felt he was gathering something, but it was a different answer to a different question. The riddle of what the park was for, but it didn't answer the question of the egg. "What exactly are the type of clients you hope to find?" He asked, as he gripped tighter on the passenger door, thinking he knew. But then as she was about to answer, try and reassure him, they both heard it at the same time. A long, mournful bellow wafting over the plain, coming from one of the other zones. But then as he tried to process why an animal should sound so pained, so agitated, he heard another sound, clear as day. Which told him all he needed to know about this place in one second.

A gunshot crack, and then there was silence.


	13. Break In

Finn looked blankly ahead as he adjusted his cap. He turned to look at Muldoon, and he seemed intense, even when driving the pickup with the trailer behind it. He could feel it himself, the anticipation, the sweat running down his face as he thought how close they were. So very, very close… But right now he couldn't afford to let his anticipation get the better of him, because they were driving through the winding path that the earlier convoy had passed through. He didn't know just how long it had taken, a day or so to survey the place, and see more evidence piling up. The amount was staggering, and seeing the increased anomalous activity in the area only confirmed his suspicions.

There was something about this area was which attracting these things, like some natural magnet. So he and Muldoon had decided to attempt to infiltrate the facility, find out what was attracting the animals to it. There had been strangely no aerial maps of the place, and even the GPS seemed not to work when they had tried to use it to scan that area. Like some kind of electromagnetic field, blocking access to the power grid. But they had decided to go anyway, if only because they had agreed on one thing. Two possibilities really. That whoever ran this place didn't know about the anomalous activity, and were unintentionally creating it. Or that they knew, and somehow were exploiting them as they came. He didn't think the first was likely considering how few people seemed to really know about the anamolies.

So they had loaded up the trailer, although Muldoon had been reluctant to tell him what was inside it exactly. Only that he seemed to think that the trailer would give them more legitimacy. Finn had shrugged, but anyways their first real test was coming ahead, as he saw there was a guard station coming up ahead of them. The bar went down, and the guard was flagging them to slow down. "You sure you got this?" Finn asked Muldoon, as he was a bit worried. He still didn't know how exactly they were going to fool them, considering how high security this place seemed to be in his opinion.

They pulled up next to the man, right in front of the security guard. Muldoon waved dismissively at Finn, indicating he could handle it. As the guard asked to see identification, Muldoon, jerked his head backwards, indicating the trailer. The guard turned, and seemed to see it for the first time. Cautiously walking backwards, he peered in the trailer. Finn turned to look, curious to see why Muldoon could be so calm about it. They had no papers, no identifications…he wouldn't be surprised if they got turned back at the first checkpoint. So he continued to watch, still cautious for anything, any sign or warning by the guard that they should turn back now. But when none came, he wondered… What was it that they were seemingly waiting for?There was a sound of footsteps, and the guard turned to look at Muldoon, giving them the all clear sign. He looked shaken though.

"What the hell was that," Finn said to him as they passed on by. It seemed something random and without proper explanation. He felt that after all that time he should have at least some sense. Some meaning at least to show that he hadn't been doing this game for the past however many months as some wild goose chase. That was all he really needed to know, that it had purpose. "He just let us through without papers?" Muldoon gave him a look. And a half smile, as he tipped his hat up, and Finn wondered then. Was everything as it had appeared? He knew there had to have been some reason. They were twisting and turning through the road, and were getting closer to the facility.

It seemed to loom very large now that he could see it clearer, it really did. He couldn't tell just how high the walls were, it had been so tricky seeing it from the hill. But to see it now… it was a different experience altogether. There were a few other guard stations ahead of them, and they stopped at the second one. This time there were two gaurds, and they stared at the both of them oddly. Muldoon nodded to them, and again pointed to the trailer. They seemed a bit more alert, and thus made Muldoon get out of the car. Finn just sat there, watching from the rear and side mirror what was going on. Okay it didn't make that much sense, he was opening a slot on the side, and letting them look. The gaurds seemed surprised at whatever the contents were, and looked at him strangely.

Like he wasn't supposed to have whatever was back there…but then they were walking back, and the bar was being lifted. Now they only had a short bit to go now, before they would enter the parking area. He could see it in front of him, through all the cyclone fencing. There seemed to be a massive amount of security resources being invested in this place, although he couldn't imagine why. "We'll be in a few minutes," Muldoon was saying, distracting him out of his thoughts. "Now it's important that you figure something out, when we get in, we need to split up." It sort of made sense, but then they were at the third checkpoint. Muldoon handed the man a slip of paper that the guards at the second had given him, appearing to be a pass of some sort. The man stared at it, then nodded, waving them through. He advised them to take the left road,  
which was the opposite way from where the Jeep was parked.

As they drove close to the massive structure, Finn felt a sense of awe at the sheer scale of the thing. He felt like such a thing was… ambitious to say nothing else. What could be its purpose and who had made it? These were not questions that he thought he would know, his only interest was in finding what attracted the anomalies here. He did notice though, that it felt different when he was close, maybe it was the air or something. But the road lead around, although it felt like he was perhaps traveling further then he was. It also seemed like the road was smoother here, as if there had been frequent travel up this way. He vaguely wondered why that was, because there didn't seem to be any areas where someone could enter from the outside here…

But the road seemed to be curving slightly, even if it was only a gradual increase. He supposed that wherever they must be going, they were getting nearer, and he could see the excitement even on Muldoon's face. They were so damn close really, and he could feel himself tensing up. As the pickup followed the turn, he could see what appeared to be the faintest trace of an outline on the wall opposite him. A seam that seemed to lead upwards, and then straight….he realized what it was. A door. As the car drove up to it, the garage door began to retract to the side, from both sides. Sort of like seeing the doors open at a supermarket but different.

Muldoon slowed the jeep as they waited for the doors to open, revealing what appeared to be a cargo bay. There were several parking slots inside walled in the back with a semi high wall about three feet. About the height the trailer was. That was the unloading area for whatever it was. As they entered, there was a small space that was just large enough to turn around in. The car entered, and began turning around, as Muldoon maneuvered the trailer so that it was now facing the unloading area. They both got out then, watching the doors close behind them. Before Finn could say anything though, a man appeared dressed in a security outfit. There was a logo on his uniform, but it couldn't be determined since he was wearing a jacket over it or something.

The man directed Muldoon and Finn to walk over to the unloading area, and then looked over the both of them suspiciously. Behind him, Finn could see a door leading to somewhere saying 'security control', and the door on the opposite side said 'access to employee entrance'. There was also a corrugated door behind him, with a large red button beside it. He could theorize that this was some miniature garage based on how it was structured. "The gaurds contacted me already," the man said roughly as he stared at the both of them. "You're not on the list. But you have an animal." He gestured at the trailer, his hand on his service weapon. "You will open the door to it senor," he said, gesturing at Muldoon. Finn thought they didn't really have much of a choice here, and he found himself extremely nervous.

Was this part of the plan? They had gotten all the way to this cargo bay, only to be confronted by security. But it was only one lone man, which told him that their story had checked out enough that it was within the boundaries of what they were expecting. Which sent another important question right away. What the hell exactly were they expecting in the first place. Then Finn realized he was more scared now because of this revelation then anything else honestly. Muldoon shrugged, and began to unlatch the trailer that strange smirk on his face. "Funny how you know what kind of animals are on the list," he said oddly, and it seemed out of place. Finn felt himself backing up almost instinctively; as if he realized that right now it was probably better to do that.

Muldoon undid the last lock, and began to open the trailer door by pulling on the handle. There was a strange sense of quiet as the door was being unlocked. Then Muldoon jerked it to the side, and stepped quickly out of the way. Finn caught the look Muldoon gave him, and began backing up more. As the man walked in front, he picked up what appeared to be a cattle prod from his belt, and began looking inside the trailer. There was a short hissing noise, and then the man stumbled back, dropping the prod in shock. Muldoon was gesturing something, and Finn understood, as he kicked the prod towards Muldoon. It skittered across the ground as they both heard the sound of something heavy moving down the trailer ramp.

The security guard lunged for his weapon, but Finn saw something flying through the air again, and there was black goo on the man's face. The same as from… he suddenly realized what had been through the trailer as the animal's crested head began to emerge out of the shadows of the interior. Ten feet tall, spotted like some sort of freakish leopard, this was the first time he had really seen Muldoon's Anamoly (as he had denoted it in his mind) up close. The Dilophosaur hooted again, as the security guard stood up, staggering as he saw the animal closing in, wiping the goo from his face. He had his gun out this time, attempting to shoot the dinosaur.  
The next glob of spit hit him in the hand, and he yelled as if he was in pain. As he shook his hand distractedly, the animal closed the distance, and knocked the man over. The gun fell through the air, landing near where Finn was. He quickly grabbed it, before he saw Muldoon's hand on his shoulder. "Time to go," he said, as he directed Finn to one of the doors. Finn followed him, but then realized something. The red button on the other door…it said 'exit'. "I'll go through the security office, you go through the staff office." Muldoon was saying to him, and in the heat of the moment he knew he had to figure it out somehow.

The only other alternative was to stay here with that Dilophosaur… which was not an idea he was in favor of. Especially since now, the security guard was screaming, and he knew that likely it would draw others. Muldoon gave him a nod, and he could see him running to the security station. Which might be a good idea, as that would be the last place they would expect him. Finn thought about trying for the staff area… but that might be too risky. After all, if reinforcements showed up that would be the first place they would check. But he couldn't stay here, because the dinosaur would smell him. And he took a quick peek back, and couldn't see the guard any more. Just a long trail of blood leading away towards the staff entrance.

Better not take that way… he still had the gun but didn't want any shots to try and attract more security people for whatever this place was. Honestly, he didn't care, only that he could get out in time. He saw the red button, saying 'push to close' and his thoughts were racing as he heard a door slam, which was probably Muldoon making his exit. He could also still hear something soft, like an owl hooting although they were indoors. The animal? Most likely, he thought to himself as he hit the button as hard as he could. The corrugated door began to retract upwards, and he saw it was not so much a vehicle entrance, so much as a small place to unload things, since there were several pallets of hay he could easily see just ahead as the door began to open. He slid under it just as he started to hear the sound of a noise behind him. Not waiting to see what it was, he ducked under, and began running.

As he did so there was a rush of wind, and he could see the clear sky. So he was on the other side of the structure? More likely it was directly in the interior. He looked from side to side quickly and saw the walls stretching for what seemed a mile or more in each direction. And then he turned and there was something in his field of vision, which he snatched at. A blue feather… he quickly stuffed it into his pocket as he tried to figure out. There was a field of grass…and in the near distance he could make out a few copses of trees. That would provide cover and safety for him. Because he didn't think he could outrun that animal from before in the open.

He could see the trees up ahead, and he turned to look behind him. The animal was exiting the garage door now, turning its head and looking around. It seemed to be sniffing the air as if confused. Finn didn't wait to find out why, mainly because the path to freedom was so close he dove for the trees as if his life depended on it. Which in a very real sense, it did right now. Because he knew what would probably happen if the animal caught up to him. The tree had a low hanging branch, and he caught onto it, quickly climbing up it. He didn't think that the creature could climb trees though. Which was perhaps what he was counting on a bit. That he would be safe here, and not elsewhere.

As he looked from his perch he could see that the garage was closing again, and that the Dilophosaur was not heading in his direction. That was a relief, but he could see it walking slowly towards another copse of trees, which possibly cut off his escape. He needed to find something or somewhere he could possibly use to get around without having to force a confrontation with the animal. Because honestly, that was the last thing he needed right now. He sighed, and thought about trying to get down, and so he looked, around for any other landmark he might possibly use. There was a place directly to the side of him, which seemed to be divided sharply by a row of what seemed to be metal pylons. Beyond that there was a rudimentary road, surrounded on both sides by the pylons, but it seemed it marked a boundary of some sort.

Beyond was what appeared to be the edge of a lake, he could see. He could hear the faint sound of a motor running somewhere. So there was a car… that meant there might be some other way around some exit he could use out of this place. Because he fished in his pocket, and took out the feather, thinking. So whatever this place was… an anomaly had made it's way here. And then there was the million-dollar question as he began to climb back down, careful not to disturb anything as he went. Had other anomalies made their way here? Because if so then he would have to determine what was drawing them here, so long as he could. Because right now, he could see there seemed to be nothing in here that would draw them in particular. And any other way opposite from that animal would probably be a good way to start walking. He thought about it, and a second after landing, he turned and began making his way towards the pylons.


	14. Reaction

Robert Muldoon knew he only had seconds left to make his decision after leaving Finn. But he trusted that the man would be intelligent enough to listen to his suggestions for how to deal with the situation. Personally, he doubted it very much but then again, this was a life or death situation. The Dilophosaur in the enclosed garage, with no doubt the security people who would be here any second now. It was a disaster waiting to happen, and he didn't want to be that close when it did. He exited via the security door, finding it was not locked. Perfect, he entered, and closed it behind him as he took a look around.

It led to a corridor in which snaked sideways and split into two. He could see there were some doors on the side, no doubt for several offices. He could already hear shouts and there was some kind of alarm blaring. Had there been a video feed from the garage? If so, whoever ran this place would know about the presence of intruders. Muldoon quickly ducked into one of the offices, seeing it was barely a walled in cubicle with a desk and a chair. But as he turned, he could see the security people already beginning to filter in. They single-mindedly ran to the garage, no one bothering to see if there was anything else to check.

Amateurs, Muldoon thought although he realized that this worked in his favor very much here. They would probably not be that long doing their sweep of the place, given that he saw about five or seven people in the group. Which meant that they might come back over here. Probably put the place in some kind of lockdown. He looked around, and noticed a ventilliation grate on the ceiling and had an idea. He took the cattle prod, and shocked the edges of the grate just enough to get it loose. Prying it open with a metal ruler he found on the desk, he threw it down to the ground. Stepping onto the desk, Muldoon climbed into the duct chute aand found it to be a snug fit.

But not he was situated to get somewhere without being detected. Muldoon began to crawl along, listening at each ventilliation grate to try and hear what they were saying. But particularly he wanted to get to the security office, see if the ducts went there, because otherwise he was unarmed. He'd have to borrow one in order to stand a chance here, he thought to himself. But he made his way through the hallway from above, and then over what appeared to be some kind of command center. There were people sitting at desks, staring at what appeared to be a long row of monitors. The screens faced away from him, but the technicians monitoring them seemed to be very absorbed, and were scribbling away on notepads about something.

Still no sign of any weapons, but he stood there for a while staring at the command center, if indeed it was one. He had a flashback to another like this, organized by a man with an impossible and improbable dream. He looked through the grates to see if there were any people who looked like they were busy, or could possibly be going anywhere. If so, that could very well be his first clue as to where to get to his objective in the armory. Naturally, he hadn't expected the alarm to be that difficult or on that scale, but he thought he could still manage. After all, he had gotten out of stickier situations before. That was a part of living dangerously, one that he had embraced a long time ago.

For now, he seemed like he could get this done, if only on some limited basis. Muldoon waited until the sounds of people running seemed to die away before moving again, but slower this time because he was over the control room. What was this place anyway? He thought to himself. Not that he didn't have some suspicion-he did but wasn't quite clear on the specifics yet. It seemed like it could be connected on a number of levels to what had happened with Finn's 'anamolies,' but he couldn't be sure. And until he could figure out what the hell was driving the dinosaurs here, he wouldn't leave ither. That was the other thing that was bothering him. The gaurds had seen the Dilophosaur, but had been shocked not because it existed…but because he had it.

He implicitly understood that was the reason he had been allowed to get this far, even as he crawled down the ventilation shaft. He kept peeking until he was absolutely certain that there was no one nearby. But unfortunately, it seemed he had crawled right past the security area. Oh well, maybe he could sneak his way back in somehow. But it didn't seem like it was going to be happening from the top anyhow. He loosened another piece of the grating, and leaped down, from his perch. Looking around, he noticed himself in a narrow hall, which seemed lined on one side with doors. Offices perhaps, but none of them seemed to imply anything about security, at least from what he could see. But he had to move fast again, so Muldoon found himself ducking into a corridor, and seeking to hide.

It was lighted from what he could see, and there were seemingly exhibits on either side. He didn't have that much time to look, but from what he could see there was something hauntingly familiar about them. They had adjacent labels on them, indicating what they were supposed to be or something. Muldoon moved quickly past them, as he made his way to through the hall. He was still trying to find his way into the security area, a single-minded purpose. He would need to arm himself before he attempted to find Finn, he supposed. No way of knowing how large this compound was, nor did he really want to find out, he thought. Right now, everything was focused entirely on his objective.

He was careful to step lightly, because he thought he could hear the faint echoeing of staff moving around somewhere. It was the corridors that made the sounds closer then they seemed, he supposed even as he moved through the exhibits. He noted that they seemed to be getting a bit more elaborate, some displays with greenery inside and such. Might be useful for hiding if it came to that. Although there didn't seem to be any threat of anyone showing up yet. He didn't know who these people were, but he thought he might have an idea. If true, this meant that they couldn't be dealt with in a normal, rational way…

Although it was clear what this place was…this structure seemed to be composed of narrow hallways that angled around. It was large enough that the angles were barely perceivable, but still there… He shook himself out of his distraction as he heard a sound of footsteps, thinking quickly, he dove into a clump of ferns that composed a display. Muldoon stayed absolutely still, as the footsteps grew closer. It seemed an eternity before they came closer, and he saw a security officer engrossed in talking on his radio. Muldoon tensed up, getting his cattle prod ready as he waited for a pause. If he interrupted the man mid-conversation it would be telling that some interruption had stopped him. He had to get the moment just right…he thought this would be as good a chance as any really. The man paused just as he passed, but then Muldoon realized there was another man with him.

He frowned, seeing the wide brimmed hat first from his cover in the foliage. Then there was some distinctiveness about his features, that they were somehow recognizable. He was not in the uniform that the gaurds were wearing… He couldn't put his finger around it, but instinctively, he bated his breath as he considered the cattle prod. It seemed that there might be something lacking here. But then the other man stopped too, slowing behind the security guard. Right in front of the display… his instincts were good, Muldoon thought mentally. Whether he could use them well was another matter, he considered as well. Right now it was still up in the air how it was going to play out. Because the security guard was turning, as he saw the man he was escorting had slowed.

The man was approaching the display, and Muldoon realized something, the man's eyes had that glint in them that he recognized. A practiced stare he thought…he tensed up, and noticed as the security man moved in closer, to try and see what was there. Muldoon turned on the prod, and there was a sudden buzzing sound. The security man stepped back, his hand now on his hip to reach for his radio. But too slow, Muldoon was already in action. He launched himself forward, aiming for the frontal lobe with the prod. The security man never had a chance, as the prod hit him on sternum, and he fell backwards stunned. Muldoon stepped forward, and then felt his hand sting as it was struck from the back.

It was expected really, as he thought. Muldoon twisted his leg sideways in order to maintain his balance before his momentum was thrown off though. The man quickly grabbed his arm, and twisted it to the side, attempting to leverage him. Muldoon didn't fight it, but instead used the terrain of the display to his advantage. Purposely slipping, he grunted as his arm was further wrenched back, but it allowed him to reach the rail. Gripping it, he kicked up, at the area just above the knee, and the man let go of his grip but with no cry of pain. Muldoon took the opportunity to leap over the railing again, as he assumed a stance with his opponent. Now was the time for games to be over. He was properly pissed now, and ready.

He feinted a right swing, but the man dodged easily, almost as if he had been expecting it. A hand on his shoulder, and then he felt an uppercut connect to his stomach. Muldoon groaned, as he quickly attempted a kick, but only got part of the lower leg. The man barely flinched, instead punching him right at the shoulder. Not trained or anything just…almost as if the man had spent a lifetime knowing where someone's weekpoints were. But Muldoon had been in more then his fair share of barroom brawls, and he knew that just because your opponent got lucky a few times didn't mean it was all over. Far from it actually. Just meant he would have to shift his tactics after all.

The man stared at him, shifting his weight to attempt to prevent his escape. But Muldoon wasn't concerned about that, not now at least. What he was worried about was something else entirely. He feinted again, this time with the right hand and the man attempted to block, but Muldoon realized that his weight had shifted to the other side. Which gave him an opportunity. He stomped suddenly on the man's foot, not waiting for a reaction. Then he connected with a solid punch to the chest, causing the man to step back. And then finally another one to the face. But he was too slow, because he felt the man twist his body and step to the side. He gave a cry of pain as his arm was bent again, twisted up to force him to bend over.

The knee to his stomach was bad enough, but he grunted as he kicked out, catching the man's leg around. Levereging this small bit, he managed to twist himself free, and grabbed the man's arms from behind. Muldoon had him in a headlock now, and the hat swooped to the ground, coming to rest in front of the display. He stepped back, swinging the man trying to disorient him. He felt several elbows to his side, and winced In pain. "Who the hell are you?" He snapped, in frustration as he tried to shake off the urge to let go of his grip. It seemed like it would be hard as hell but then again… the man wasn't struggling.

And then Muldoon wondered why for half a second before he heard it too. The familiar clicking sound of a gun's hammer being pulled back. He loosened his grip, and looked around, seeing security gaurds blocking both ends of the hallway, their guns drawn. No getting out of this one now, he supposed as he raised his hands in the air. He could hear the sound of footsteps as more gaurds came. But at the same time, the crowd seemed to be parting for something, someone. Muldoon didn't pay attention though, because he was absorbed in the other man as he stood up. He didn't get up immediately, lingering instead to pick up the floor. As he put it on, he turned to face Muldoon, the two men scrutinizing each other. Then…recognition at the same time, although Muldoon had somewhat expected this.

The man's face was familiar to him, although only by hearsay around the campfires in Kenya. He squinted, as he took a look at how the man was dressed. Khakis, boots…even a wide brimmed hat. The way the man carried himself as he stepped to the side…Robert Muldoon was certain he knew who this man was. And he could see by the way the stranger was staring, that the recognition was mutual, that was to say, that they both had an inkling of who the other was, and why that might be important in the long run. But then his attention was distracted again, as the gaurds parted and a voice behind him. "I hope you weren't unduly disrupted by the disturbance Mr. Tembo?" Muldoon's didn't recognize the voice, although he turned and saw a bearded middle-aged man approaching them.

Tembo…it made sense. The predator of the savannah. A thousand campfire stories telling how he was like a firing squad for the prey. Only one small detail made the man come out of the myth. "And who do we have here?" Muldoon turned around, his arms still up, the cattle prod falling to the floor. He felt himself grabbed by security, as they patted him down to make sure he didn't have any more weapons. Their search was futile, for he had no weapons. Bearded man registered some level of surprise, but not that much as he saw who it was. "Ah, I see its one of our little guests…but you seem to have picked an odd time to join the party…Robert Muldoon."

Muldoon smirked, so now they all knew each others names. "So do I get an introduction of your name too?" He asked sarcastically. But the man ignored him, and turned to face Tembo. Muldoon felt the wheels turning in his head as he tried to figure out how Tembo would be involved. After all….he looked around and saw the name on the arch over the doorway. "You did it…you son of a bitch you did it." Because he suddenly realized why Tembo was there, and who the man in front of him must be as well. Not only had this whole thing got a lot hotter, but for the first time…Muldoon felt himself feel fear. What had he gotten himself wrapped into?

Rossiter was standing in the center of the hallway, the words "Jurassic World: Hallway 2-a" Were emblazoned on the arch. Muldoon suddenly had clarity, and it was like everything made some sort of sense. "Well since you were so kind to join us…why don't we give you the tour?" Rossiter said, as he indicated for Muldoon to join them. Muldoon couldn't think of a thing to do besides walk, and


	15. Creation

Tembo stepped to the side as he followed the security team, as they escorted the man along. Rossiter was leading, and they were going to meet up with the rest of his group, which was waiting in the main visitor area. Still, a lot of things were going through his head, as he analyzed the newcomer, a frown creasing his features. This was an unexpected development, one to consider. He had heard the name though, as the man seemed to be familiar with his. Never seen his face, but he had heard something of him. Robert Muldoon, the man who was perhaps the only challenger in all of the continent who could rival the trophies he had taken.

The difference was though, that Tembo had gone after these trophies that were one of a kind, which possessed the most challenge to him. To him, the chase was more important then the hunt. But perhaps more important was also the rarity of the animal, a sense of taking what few others had done. Muldoon, had treaded that path, and he had heard stories of him taking trophies that even he would have marveled at, but he had disappeared from the scene rather quickly after his prominence. A blazing star that had appeared brightly, then shone out. Taking his considerable…talents and utilizing them for such means as helping other people with their animal problems. Much like this place, he thought vaguely.

"Why are you here?" Tembo asked the man, impressed by how he seemed to just walk ahead stoicly, even as he was surrounded by security. They were almost to the control room, but he wanted to see what was bringing him here. After all, this was interesting enough with the dinosaurs here. But he had thought that Biosyn had kept it a secret…apparently not. "You know what this place is already don't you…but you didn't receive an invitation, is that it?" He smirked, thinking he might know why Muldoon had sneaked in. This after all, was an opportunity any truly dedicated advocate of the chase would not dare to miss.

Muldoon turned to face him, returning his gaze. There was something in his eyes that Tembo couldn't exactly figure out, he was still trying to read it. "I'm not here for this place…whatever it is." He said, shaking his head. "Fate just led me to it, but I suppose I'll find out in just a bit what exactly your friend has been up to." The other man frowned. "Did they hire you for this place?" Muldoon didn't know that they were only guests apparently, which was a bit of a shame. Still, this might be something interesting to use. "Same old story it seems, man with a dream, but this time it's for gain more then anything really."

Tembo frowned, a vague feeling of disquiet troubling him. It sent a shiver up his spine almost, that Muldoon should be so calm and not bothered at all. It really was odd… "I'm here on a tour, you could say…" Tembo looked away for a moment, his eyes facing forward as he could see the hall narrowing. "You seem to know more then you're saying Mr. Muldoon. However, you think I am interested in following your breadcrumbs. I am not. You are a distraction, and not my problem. And may I point out, you attacked me first." An eyebrow went up as he looked at Muldoon, who looked unapologetic. It was almost sparring, except that this man had no purpose or reason to be here, not that he could see.

Muldoon looked genuinely surprised, his eyes widening a bit as he considered this information with a nod. But then he seemed to be processing it, as they both turned to the sound of a door openeing. Rossiter was ahead of them now, smiling. "I'm so sorry about our unexpected guest, but I thought he should be here to see this. Especially since he seems so…interested in what we have to show." He turned to Tembo, confused. "Where are your other companions, should they not be here to witness this?" Tembo shrugged, as he sighed and looked at Rossiter, clearly the man just didn't understand a damn thing,  
But the room that they had entered was something…it was a complex of computer monitors, which lab technicians were constantly observing. There were video screens with the legend 'Zone-1, section 2', and so on. He could discern five different zones that were so labeled. On the monitors he could see the various biomes that had been described flickering, the images being dialed through rapidly. He noticed Muldoon especially watching with disguised interest, his eyes giving his intent away, but all the same it was interesting. These were the eyes of a hunter, one who practiced and watched. "My companions are back in the lounge," Tembo said with a curt nod as he stepped to observe the computer monitors. "They serve as my porters and field dressers-in addition they serve as a backup in case the animal doesn't know it's dead." He turned and looked, with interest.

"Ah, so you see it don't you?" Rossiter indicated that Muldoon be brought closer to where they were. "Slow down the screen," he ordered as he saw Muldoon staring numbly at it. "We got a wide variety of habitat here," he said as he indicated the frames in each zone. "Zone 1-a grassland wilderness…Zone 2- a large forested area, Zone 4 consists of a savannah, Zone 5 is centered around twin lakes… The key is Zone 3, at the very north of our little enclosure. It is a quarry… and the key to how we have managed to create Jurassic World." He watched the reactions of the two men as they considered that. Muldoon flinched, but Tembo seemed cool.

"This area was originally all a large quarry, the remnant of which can be seen up here in Zone 5. This was developed by a mining operation in the twenties, the Germans I think. Failed to get their work done in Costa Rica so they decided the rural Mexican desert would be as good a place as any to try and develop. After the place was abandoned, groundwater seeped in, causing a lake to form, which eventually covered what is now Zones three and five. The other regions were nourished by this lake, covering an area, which is now completely encapsulated by the boundaries of the structure." He took a breath, explaning how this place had come to be. He directed the technician to show a map of Jurassic World from above:  
(Writer's note-I don't have a picture yet, But I'll put one soon when I do have it)

"As you can see, we drained this lake, the remnants of it can be seen here in zone five with the twin lakes. I find that the presence of the lakes helped the area around these bodies of water attain a characterstics similar to Zones one and two." He looked at them, seeing that they were a bit bored. "But yes, the forested area," he said wanting to finish up this part-"Actually is the result of a cultivation effort by our people. It is one of the zones that we are still trying to finish up for the opening, although progress on the development of this ecosystem is encouraging." He looked back at them clapping his hands, any questions?

"Yeah I got one," Muldoon said as he looked up. "These zones and different ecosystems…you really think you guys can pull this off don't you?" He chuckled, as if he found something very funny. "You got no idea...no idea do you." He gestured with his hand slowly, since the security was still all around him. "You've done a good job of figuring out something original, I'll grant you that. But what you've planned. what you're trying to do…it won't work." He seemed supremely confident, and Rossiter felt slightly troubled for the first time. Why did this man seem so assured? But it was time to knock that confidence down a bit, because he didn't like to be contradicted.

"I assure you Mr. Muldoon what we have here does work. Mr. Tembo here can attribute to that…" He flipped through the channels as he turned away. Cross checking the tracker signals in the implanted microchips with the location bearing. That would give him exact co-ordinates… there it was. Perfect specimen too. He flicked a switch and then moved the video feed so that every one of the monitors was showing the same thing now. It was in Zone One as seen by the legend on screen and the time stamp was current. Rossiter smiled, as everyone else seemed to frown, because he knew what it was. And he had a feeling that Muldoon recognized it…from the look on his face.  
"But how…" Muldoon gasped, his composure breaking a little bit. He remembered very vaguely seeing the news report on TV after taking Marty to the hospital. Something about Ismaloya being investigated, but he had thought nothing of it, since there was nothing in the village to find, the animals probably having gone back to where they had come, after the disturbance had left. But one thing had stood out in his mind regardless, something which had fundamentally bothered him for all this time…The Carnotaur that he had driven off the cliff, it had still lain there on the road as he had driven past. And it suddenly made him realize as he blinked in shock… that the news reports had also mentioned a rockslide, right outside the village. No way in hell were these not connected.

There was an animal on screen, a slumped shapeless form. It was bleeding from multiple points, but right away, Muldoon could tell it was something large, something with substance. And it had died in a violent manner, he could tell from the way the neck was bent like that. It was a large animal, and even from here he could see the pebbly texture of the skin, the green shade fading as the animal lost its life and palour. It had been years, but Muldoon could still identify what animal this was most likely. It was one of these things you never lost your touch, especially when you had been that close to something. You never really forgot. Because he couldn't make out the species but it did seem like it could possibly be a maisaura but... This alone was impressive, and Muldoon raised an eyebrow. So they had managed to clone a dinosaur? But then his eyes widened as the camera panned up.

The space above the dead animal began to flicker and shimmer, almost as if it was some kind of projection. But there was not, he knew suddenly, and he had a bad feeling about it. He couldn't take his eyes off of it, but it was there regardless, and he couldn't deny it…he couldn't deny it at all to be quite honest. A head emerged, then a body as well as a powerfully built tail. But then it wasn't the rest he was worried about, it was the head. The animal reared itself up over it's kill, one foot placed on the dead animal, and roared in triumph. As it lowered it's head, he could make out the teeth, the nobs on the head, and the general body structure. It was all very familiar, uncannily so. He remembered this thing. It was the Carnotaur…But then it couldn't be… he felt shivers down his spine.

"Familiar isn't he?" Rossiter asked, turning his head to the side, a grin across his face. "He's the same one..." He said, turning back to the monitor. Indeed, it had been insanely easy, all it took was the right payoffs and people listened. But then again, that wasn't entirely what he wanted to show him…not just yet. He would wait until the perfect time, when everything seemed to be going off, and he looked at Tembo's face, slightly confused. "Ah, Mr. Tembo, I see you've noticed our Carnotaur. We have a wide variety of species here, you only saw one or two so far I keep forgetting." The reactions of the two could not have been more different. Tembo looked interested, if confused…and Muldoon just looked uncomfortable.

"Change to the next item," he said as he looked at the men, with a sense of challenge in his eyes. If Muldoon was going to play the quiet game, he could one-up him a bit here at least. Because Rossiter had one advantage that the other man did not right now, and he could utilize that leverage he realized. Back when they had gone over the village there was one thing in particular that had stood out to him. That had been a crashed Jeep almost tipped over against the town bar. A quite familiar logo traced on the side, and he had been able to trace the license plate number…which is how he had known Muldoon had been present for the Ismaloya Incident, or so he had taken to referring to it in his notes.

He indicated the screen yet again, and the monitor showed Zone 4. There was a brief pan where he could see more of the grasslands, and what was surely the edge of a lake. But then there was another Jeep he could see, a woman in a security guard uniform…and then, Muldoon stepped forward, the guards pushing him back almost reflexively, but it had caused him to react, stunned and in shock. He hadn't quite processed the fact that the Carnotaur still lived, but then this one took him even more by surprise. There was a man he recognized, as the face turned to the sky, briefly. After Ismaloya he'd recognize that anywhere… Richard Levine was here, and… he was…"What have you done to him?" He said his voice controlled.

"Done? Why we haven't done a thing to him." Rossiter toyed with the radio that was on his hip. He took it, and pressed a button. Instantly, the woman in the video feed, pressed a button on the Jeep dash, seeming to be caught up. Muldoon understood, he could see. "That is…he'll be fine. Now we just need you to co-operate, for your friend's sake you understand." He turned to Tembo, shrugging. "Sorry for this scene, Mr. Tembo but I do believe it will be necessary in the long run. After all…you don't need all these people for your porters alone do you?"

Muldoon looked at Tembo, and saw that incredeously; the other man seemed genuinely surprised at this as he was. "What is it Rossiter," he said wanting to cut to the chase. The man was playing some sort of goddamn sadistic mind game, and he had all the cards right now. He thought that he needed to figure something out, but for the moment he didn't know how to reverse the situation. "Porters…?" He blinked, utterly confused. Some dots were beginning to connect themselves, as he looked up at the monitor feed. Levine was walking to the jeep, and as he was doing so, several large animal passed him by to go to the lakeside. Seemed to be the same kind that the Carnotaur had killed, although he couldn't be sure. Could it be…?

Rossiter smiled as Muldoon came to the conclusion he had hoped he would. "You see Muldoon, this is going to work out for the best for us." He nodded and smiled. "After all, what better way to test the future customer satisfaction of Jurassic World by marketing it to two of the most prolific representitives of our clients. That's right Gentlemen, I forgot to say this right away." He looked up at them, a sinister gleam in his eye. It was actually a good plan, and would break Muldoon into telling everything better then any more barbaric methods would. "The two greatest African Hunters-Tembo and Muldoon. You have the honor of breaking this place in. The greatest Safari Game Park the world has ever known…Jurassic World. The species designed for one purpose…bred for the ultimate hunt."


	16. Impact

Finn stumbled through the grass expanse running as fast as he could towards the Pylons. He furtively looked back as he did so, to try and see what was chasing him. The answer, as he had ascertained not five seconds ago was clear. Nothing was behind him, he was being chased by nothing. And yet he could feel it, the ominous sense that there was something following him, although it was a clear day with no obvious source of threat in sight. He couldn't tell what it was, but he wasn't going to stick around to find out. That's how people ended up dead, or worse he supposed to himself as he willed his legs to continue. However fear operated on adrenaline in the human body, it was a chemical reaction.

To put it another way, his legs were finding it difficult to move that fast to no obvious physical connection. It was like trying to exercise on a treadmill wdithout music, Finn felt his legs getting tired rapidly even as he felt the glare of the sun shining brightly. He had left the trees a bit of time ago, and so far there seemed to be no sanctuary or refuge he could find that was similar. That was why he had marked out the Pylons, since they had presented something of a boundary marker. Beyond that he could see some slight change, a copse of trees. If he could reach there, perhaps he could get to safety in time. But the wind had almost atopped entirely, and so he knew it couldn't be a figment of his imagination.

But he couldn't stand still, not when he had heard almost unmistakeably the sound of breathing behind him. Not a man, but something else… almost like a wild animal. He couldn't really compare it to anything in his experience, although it had seem like it was coming from slightly above his height. And then that smell…rancid musty dried blood wafting through his nose… he hadn't needed much to get himself highly motivated to move. He turned again, his terror extreme as he willed his legs to move, feeling himself getting slower with every second. It was almost as if he were running an 800 metere dash, only there was no fixed finish line in sight. The pylons were still a few hundred meters away he could tell, and he didn't know how he was going to make it. But he would try, for if anything the survival instinct was important.

But the important thing was, he was closer now to the Pylons then he had been before. He turned again, swerving suddenly to the side just to change things up. He could see it then, he realized as he stared….the grass was –parting- but apparently to nothing. Something below the level of the grass? Possible since it was at least waist high, but he didn't think so. No, this was something about his height, but he couldn't see it. If there had been jungle or trees in the way, he might have been able to rationalize it. But this was a clear day, without a cloud in the sky. Finn could feel his mind actively rebelling against what his eyes were telling him. There should be something there to cause what he was seeing… He blinked, trying to understand. But all he could feel was fear, fear of the unknown of having no bloody idea what the hell was chasing him.

This gave him the adrenaline he needed, the fear rushing to his head. Primal instincts honed in the savannah, and now they were back again. The pylons were closer now, and Finn felt that he could make it. He really could make it after all. There was a distant sound he could hear, like an engine running…but he couldn't concentrate on that too much right now. Because Finn had only one thought in his mind, which was to get to the tree grove as soon as possible. It might be his only chance, although against what he only had the vaguest preconception so far. Still, he had the feeling that he did not want to face whatever might be waiting for him. Better to be safe then sorry, and right now, he thought he could make it. Everything was leading to him making it safely, if only he could will himself to put in that last bit of effort, the home stretch.

Then he felt something next to him, and turned to realize that the grass was moving –next- to him now. Blinking in surprise, he only had time to register that for a split second before the path laid out turned sharply towards him. Finn tried energizing his legs in a burst of speed, but it seemed that he couldn't. There was nothing to run from, at least that was what his brain was telling him. However, he knew better even if he couldn't exactly figure out how to get anything to move. Finn tried though, yelling to try and get himself that burst of speed that would give him strength to keep moving at all. He had to, he realized…

The radio turned off, as Levine got back into the car. Chief of security Karen Sellers had just gotten off the line with Rossiter. He had sounded a bit satisified with something, and had been extremely vague. However, there was one thing he had said that was gnawing at her, not more then ever. He was moving up the schedule, and she sighed. He had promised her that the bloody hunters wouldn't enter the preserve until she was safely back in the control room. But for some reason, he was increasing the time scale. As she turned the ignition, the car slowly drove along the road by the pylons. Levine was silent, and she wondered if it had something to do with the gunshot they had heard.

That was odd, she would admit, and the mournful tone was even odder. Rossiter had only just now said that he was moving the hunt schedule ahead, and that was already a pain in the ass. But the man wasn't so much of a jackass as to start it then tell her after the fact. So she wondered vaguely if an animal handler had to enter Zone 1 with a faulty headlights. Possibly, and that had a nasty habit of workers doing that, and then complaining about their near-misses. But that meant that she might want to check it out, since the Carnotaur was one of their biggest attractions. They only had bred one of them, which was more then enough… "We might be taking a deteour," She told the man beside her as she moved the car, not towards the bunker but towards Zone 1.

It was a hassle, she thought, having an animal like that in an environment like this. The only saving grace had been that Rossiter had put it out in the plains area, where there was relatively little cover. She remembered the proposals that it be put int the forest area, and she had put her foot down. What could be more idiotic then putting an animal that could bloody camoflauge itself in a jungle environment. That was a nightmare for an animal handler, let alone head of security. That wasn't hunting, that was an open invitation to slaughter of the entire hunting party. At the least in the grasslands there was only one or two copses of trees, and they were situated far from the pylons, meaning they could be approached without that much danger. Although she wondered what would happen if someone strayed too far from their jeep without backup in that zone…

They were on the border of the zone now, right next to the pylons, and she couldn't see anything. Because Levine was starting to get up, forcing her to stop the car. "What the hell are you doing-" she started, because then she saw it too, and blinked. She stood up as well, in surprise, and shock at the scene before her, reaching for her pistol at her side. Self defence yes, but in this case something was needed. Levine started to climb out of the car, and she jumped out of her driver's seat as they both headed towards the pylons and saw…

Finn had tripped, and was now on his back, trying to crawl away. He could hear the sound of the grass rustling as the thing circled him, and he felt fear. He dived for his belt, his hand falling on the handgun that the security guard had dropped. He could feel it closing in, the footfalls as the animal approached. He could feel the grip felt heavy so hopefully there were enough ammunition in the magazine to make his shots count. Held it tightly as he pushed himself up, but then felt something large prod him back down roughly.  
Almost as if it had been headbutting him, and it felt a scaly texture. But he still could not see anything, but then as he raised his gun it must be over him. Because now he could see something, an outline of a large animal that made him gasp in horror and shock. Without realizing it, his finger closed on the trigger, and there was a loud report as the gun went off. He was frozen for a second, wondering if it had hit or not. There was silence….deathly silence for a second that felt like an eternity. Then he felt something wet on his cheek, but it wasn't rain. Wiping it with his free hand, he saw it was a drop of blood. Looking up, another drop landed on his forehead and trickled down between his eyes. He realized the thing, whatever it was was bleeding and it was –right- above him.

There was a bellow of anguish, but it wasn't one of an animal backing away. There was wrath in it, of something not used to being injured, of being the master of it's domain. Finn felt the shiver go down his spine as he heard it, and tried to calm himself down…but he failed, since the sound was so completely unnverving to him that it repelled every aspect of his being. He got up, as fast as he could as the animal continued to roar. Surely that could be heard for miles around. Turning, he could see the pylons. It wouldn't be that far to go to get to them, he thought. Without turning back, Finn made a run for it. This time, his legs moved with him, since the proof was too overwhelming for his brain to deny it. He was being pursued to the death.

` So he ran, knowing that any minute now it was going to catch up to him, and he was going to die. There was likely not enough time for another shot, since he heard the bellowing cease almost as sudden as it started. But now it wasn't attempting to ambush him…the way it was moving, he could tell it intended to run him down. He had angered it, and now he was going to pay with his life. He could feel the sweat running down his face, as he felt the fear and desperation moving through him. He could see something in the distance-it looked like a jeep. He saw it was stalled, but it seemed like the figures in the car were looking his direction. He couldn't tell really since they were so far away. But he raised his gun-and fired into the air, a signal for help.

Levine was in shock, at seeing the Carnotaur chasing the man. It had uncloaked before their eyes, and it was that sight that had caused him to stand up initially in shock and horror. The fleeing man couldn't take that much more; he could see and was still a ways from the borders. The dinosaur would overtake him before then, he realized and it was something he very much wanted to avoid if at all possible. "Do something!" He shouted in his confusion and anger at the woman. But she just stood there numbly fidgeting with the radio or something, mumbling something. Damn, a man was going to die and she was calling for backup? Levine couldn't take it anymore, and shook his head disgusted. When a Carnotaur was right there, help was going to be minutes away. And these were minutes this man didn't have. Well, to hell with it.

Levine jumped out of the jeep, and ran towards the man, and the barrier. "Hey, It's me you want!" He began shouting, hoping to confuse the animal. If the animal could be paused long enough, possibly the man would be able to get through safely. If not…he didn't know what was going to happen. Same as he didn't know how these pylons could act as any effective barrier, but he thought he had an idea… "Keep running, don't stop until you're past the pylons!" Levine yelled as he continued making his way towards the barrier.

He was at the very border now, and was unsure if the man was going to make it. The Carnotaur was alongside the man now, and he could see that it was preparing to ram him sideways. No… Levine had seen first hand what the effects of that had done to Marty, and here, there was no one to come to his aid. He the time for hesitating was over, he decided in that instant as he crossed the line. Instantly there was a burning sensation all across his body he could feel, and for a second he thought it would pass. But it didn't-the pain just intensified if anything, and he could feel it from the tips of his extremities to his toes. He screamed in agony, as the vibrations echoed through his body, tearing cells apart and causing him extreme pain. He felt his legs buckling as he crumpled to the floor under the agony of the pain and extreme duress, his hands over his ears to try and stop the pain.

Karen was agitated, Rossiter wasn't responding and she needed to put in an urgent request. The Carnotaur was bearing down on the man, and she needed to know if she had permission to possibly put down an animal. She knew the protocols, and what they were, before she had signed on. She had told Rossiter to his face, that if he was going to be letting rich idiots hunt these animals, she had the right to put them down if things turned sour. As it was right now, before her eyes. She knew it was, even as Levine was screaming in her ear. But she didn't need a long drawn out conversation. She was inputting the code over and over again, that they had agreed on, but was getting no response. Rossiter must be busy, although she couldn't imagine with what really.

The hell with it, she thought as she turned to try and get the tranquilizer rifle out of the back seat. She didn't want to do it, but if it came to it, she would have to. But she saw to her surprise that Levine was already out the passenger door before she could stop him. Damn, she thought as she stood up looking. The man was almost to the pylons before she could stop him. All he was doing was shouting and yelling, and for a second, she thought the animal might buy it, as it seemed to pause, confused by the strange new infringement on its territory. She fiddled with the car key, trying to start the damn thing up as she figured once she was able too, she could drive there and scare the bejesus out of the dinosaur.

But then she heard a crackling and a sizzle and she looked up. Levine had crossed the line, and she could practically hear the electrical whine resonating on her dashboard. Goddamn it…there really was no time at all, she thought as she stood up, and jumped out of the car. As she ran, she noticed the Carnotaur cautiously stalking closer to the fence, the running man passing the pylons, and continuing to run. She raised her side-arm, leveling it with the animal, as it advanced. There was absolutely no fear in it's eyes, she could see, and as it neared the pylons, she could feel something else. It was staring down at Levine, there was not really time to try and drag him away, she could tell.

Because now there was something that had passed through the sonic fence…and another that had not. But there was something she realized that might be problematic. The Carnotaur was pacing back and forth, almost waiting. And she realized that in order to help Levine out, she had to lower her gun. Which would place her in more danger then she really cared to risk herself really. But there was nothing to be done, because the man was on the borderline, and she could hear his anguished groans as he lay on the border, where the terrain changed from savannah to grassland. She aimed with the handgun, trying to look for a way to scare it off. It was a stalemate…and both of them knew it. It roared at her in defiance, and the message was clear, at least to her.

To hell with it, she thought as she aimed and fired. Not to kill, since as Rossiter reminded her daily, these were expensive animals. But one that they had at least somewhat trained for. Center mass, that seemed about right from what she remembered. But these dinosaurs were difficult, she recalled. Hard to kill, not that management had ever allowed one to be killed…not even in a test run. So she didn't know what impact this would have if any. She fired the gun, the report louder then she would have normally thought. The reaction was immediate, she could tell as the dinosaur stepped back, and roared loudly at her. She fired again, hoping to confuse the animal. As the large animal began to snarl, Karen bent down, and grabbed Levine's leg.

Normally she wouldn't have the strength to pull a grown man, but the adrenaline in her was working overtime, she could feel it. The gun went quickly back in it's holster as she grabbed with her other arm and began walking backwards straining. Levine didn't help matters by being utterly out of it, but that couldn't be helped. But she needed to get him clear of the pylons… it seemed painful, but it was hurting her too, with the effort. And the animal was still snarling, stepping forward…and she could feel it, seemingly barely a few feet from her. It took all her willpower to convince herself that the animal couldn't cross that empty space, and attack both of them. But fear was a great motivator, and right now, she needed all the help she could get. It seemed an eternity, but both her and Levine were clear of the pylons.

She stood breathing heavily as she stared at the Carnoatur, bellowing at its frustrated prey. "Too bad, asshole." She whispered to it as she knelt down and took a look at the fallen man in front of her. As turned him over, she grabbed his arm and laid it flat on the grass. Taking a small device out of her belt, she waved it over, trying to get a signal. Even though he was out of its immediate area, there should be some residual effects from close proximity to the pylons. Then she saw it, the red scab indicating where the device had been injected. It could be passed off as a mosquito bite, and that was exactly what Rossiter had intended. A security measure, so that Levine wouldn't escape, although he had reassured her that it wouldn't be necessary. She had told him it wouldn't be, but he had refused to listen to her.

The least she could get so far was something to undo the effects of the sonic tag that was implanted in all of the animals to contain them. Given that most of the animals didn't realize that they were contained by the pylons for the first few weeks of habitation, it had been necessary to have such an item in order to deactivate the transponder signal for a time so that the animal would not have an over-reaction due to the induced stress of the sonic barrier. She took the device, and pressed the button, waiting for the green light that would tell her the connection between the implanted transponder and the sonic waves was gone. The device beeped, and she sighed in relief, although the danger was not over yet. The device had never been tested on a human, and she didn't know how Levine's body was reacting…especially since his breathing seemed shallow and ragged.

She got up, realizing she would have to load him into the car. Get to the bunker at least, where they had a first aid kit if she recalled. But that was only a temporary plan. They had some more supplies in the offices, but what this man needed was an airlift. The stress on his nervous was too much, although she realized that probably morphine or something was going to be needed. The Carnotaur roaring at them from behind the barrier didn't help either. She turned around, only to see the man who had earlier been running standing behind her. He was holding a gun pointed directly at her head, and she calmly lifted her arms up to show she meant no threat at all. But there was something different about him…he wasn't dressed like one of the workers. Nor did he seem the type to be a client to this place. But she didn't expect what he would say next, even as he leveled the weapon.

"What in god's name is this place?" He asked, even as the Carnotaur roared from beyond the fence.


	17. Reload

Robert Muldoon carried the end of the Spas Twelve in a classic hunter's shoulder carry as he walked through the grass. Surrounding him were three grim-looking men. The gun was unloaded, and he had been searched before they had gone out into the interior. Beside him was Tembo, who walked unencumbered, one of the men beside him carrying his Nitro 600 Deluxe. The other man opposite held a tripod, and the third held binoculars as he scanned the surrounding area every few seconds. The porters formed a quite efficient triangle unit, and Muldoon could see that each was equipped with a Smith &amp; Wesson Model 500. 50 Caliber bullet, in case either of the shooters were to fall. The Jeep was parked a few hundred meters away, might have been a whole world away for all it mattered now, Muldoon supposed.

He was out here, and could see grassland in all directions. In the near distance there were some pylons that seemed to delineate a boundary, at the least he could see the start of some rocky area beyond it. He looked down at his arm, feeling the sting that still existed as he rubbed the area where Rossiter's men had injected him. Some sort of tag, he supposed and looking at the pylons, he thought it was quite easy to guess what Rossiter thought would keep him inside the lines. But it was quite interesting, seeing this little game, and the rules that Biosyn was setting up. They hadn't said anything about Finn so he wondered vaguely if the other man was all right. Especially since in this preserve, he didn't know what could possibly await him here.

He had seen proof of the Carnotaur here, as well as some kind of Hadrosaur. So one part made sense to him, that they had been to Ismaloya, but the other did not. How did they get the Hadrosaur without going to the islands? He thought this over in his mind as he walked, a few more problems also going through his mind. Levine's presence here…it seemed the man was in this up to his neck. Somehow he had to try and find him, and get them all out of here, that is if he could find Finn anywhere in this goddamn mess. Plus, there was the Dilophosaur around here somewhere, which Rossiter had been strangely silent about as well. No mention of the man that the dinosaur had attacked, but he thought it was likely that it was also screwing around in here somewhere. Plus that wasn't even touching on Finn's so-called 'anomalies', which might be lurking in this place.

He shook his head, trying to focus on the most immediate problems. Right now, he was trapped for all intents and purposes, but there had to be some way to find a means out of this situation. He was unsure of what they were looking for, but he thought he would at least try to humor them. The guide in the leade was holding some device which one of the security men had handed the party. Muldoon could only assume it was some type of tracking device. It was interesting, but he didn't want to think that would be the only way they could track down these animals. Surely there had to be some other way. He turned, as they passed a grove of trees. Suddenly the leade porter stopped, and the rest followed suit. There was a silence as the men began to crouch down, and Muldoon did as well. He could smell it in the wind, as could the rest of them. There was something coming.

Out of the trees, there appeared several animals in single file. They were stockily built, but they seemed a bit taller then a grown man. Their heads were atop a slender, serpentine neck, and he could see that their legs seemed strong, and robuts. He compared the leg form mentally to that of a cheetah, from his tenure as a game warden in his previous job. It was linearly built, for speed he had the feeling. There was a name for it too, on the tip of his tongue as he and the rest of the party watched the animals, about five or six of them began to cautiously walk out of the grove of trees. Muldoon felt himself lowering his hat as he tested the wind to make sure that they were still downrange from being scented.

There was something familiar about them, he thought as he looked at their form. He vaguely remembered on Nublar, before the park went to hell… Wu proposing a new breed of dinosaur, one that could run fast and agile. He had put his foot down he recalled, due to their size and speed possibly further constraining some problems they were having with the fences at that time. But he recalled what Levine had told him about the second island, apparently the real source of Nublar's dinosaurs. Gallimimus, he recalled their name was now. And they had apparently been breeding them on Sorna, although he had not been aware of such a development at all. Interesting, he thought to himself. Had Biosyn accessed the second Island then? Tht piece of the puzzle was still working itself out in his head as the party slowly made their way closer. He was wondering what their intent was, when he saw the first porter gauging with his binoculours. Judging the distance most likely, he realized.

Probably trying to figure out the correct stalking approach, he figured. This was confirmed as he saw Tembo signal the others briefly to fan out, and thought he understood. A fast prey like this, you couldn't do this by the normal methods. It required more finesse, a degree of subtletly that other animals did not. Because most likely you would only get one shot. But for an expert, that one shot is all they would need. He thought he caught some semblance of what they were going to try to do, even as the porters fanned out, still knee deep in the grass. Cut off the weakest in the group, just like a true predator… and then as the fleeing animals panicked, there would be one shot-just one and that would be it.

It was a risk, but the hunt was full of them. Muldoon could feel himself becoming engrossed in it as well, the natural excitement of stalking an animal burning in his blood. It was what he had done all his life, what he had been born to do. The call of the Savannah had beckoned to him, even as a child. And now he was here, forced to partake in the hunt for the most exotic game… And he had some idea of what the rules for this hunt might be, because he was tense, feeling all of his muscles tighten instinctually with the fervor and the sweat of anticipation and preparation for what was about to unfold. He could only imagine that the same process must be occurring in Tembo as well, for they were both predators in a sense, both had walked the same paths and faced the same game.  
The feeling didn't die, because he knew he was right… even as he paced along to the side so that he would continue to be downwind of the animals. They still did not notice them, although they were now grazing, or so it appeared. Muldoon didn't know what they ate, nor did he care-so long as they weren't carnivores. But of course, by his estimate that Carnotaur was probably the only one intentionally put here. Probably a mistake, caused by the man opportunistically scooping up the animal at Ismaloya, he supposed. But he would see…sooner or later probably. Because he had a feeling that Rossiter was going to parade him through the zones, and make him see that he had truly bested InGen. Afterwards…he had no idea of what Rossiter's end game was, and he had a bad feeling about it.

However, he had to concentrate, because one of the Gallimimus suddenly lifted its head. It was slowly craning its neck as it looked out over the plain. Probably for something, anything that was out of place, he thought. Which would be every man that was stalking it and its brethren in the grass. Muldoon wondered if it could smell him. Although it was bipedal, this was herbivorous, and so shouldn't have anywhere near a raptor-level of keen senses. So on this he was banking, that it would not smell them, until it was too late anyways, he supposed. That was how he had earned these trophies, such that he had-by utterly avoiding the expected. He knew that Tembo had a number of trophies as well, and so would probably be keeping these same things in mind.

The porter with the binoculours was now behind the herd, he could see, and was in position. The other two, were set on either side of the flock, with the dinosaurs being still unaware of their presence. Muldoon could feel the sweat down his face, as he wondered how the hell it would go down. They were waiting for some sort of signal, it seemed…and both Muldoon and Tembo could tell the time was right- he could see it in the other man's face, after all. Tembo stood up suddenly, and the flock went completely still. They turned and clumped together…rigidly at first, but then seemed to move in a semi-circular pattern. As if they were instantly assessing a threat, but then trying to find a way out of that situation. They were on the defensive now, hunted animals…

He saw Tembo looking confused, and honestly it did to him as well. For an animal raised in an environment with no predators, they shouldn't be instinctually turning back and flocking. He squinted, as he tried to see what they would do next. And it was interesting, because Tembo let loose a long low whistle, and for a second Muldoon was unsure of where he was going with that. But as he stepped forward, still crouching in the grass, he could see that the animals had swerved back to face them. And they didn't seem to be stopping, he realized as his eyes widened. No..the Gallimimus were charging towards them, and making a hell of a lot of noise while they were at it too, he noted wryly.

Tembo felt the time was right, and now that he had made his presence known…it was only a short window until the animals disappeared where they could not follow. He had been informed by Rossiter of the animals in each of the zones-and while he had the option of using a jeep to keep up with them, that did not feel very sportslike. Indeed, the true chase of these creatures would be to best them when they had the advantage of speed. Which was why even though all of his porters were armed-non but he would fire the fatal bullet. He cautiously loaded his rifle, careful not to let the sound prove disturbing to the animals. Muldoon seemed to be carefully assessing them too which was only expected.

Suddenly the lead animal began to rear up, facing back towards them again. The flock was following it, honking as they began to run. Probably trying to get between them and make a run for it. But there were still two of them here, and they could stop them. He saw that Muldoon was standing up now, his gun in hand. But it was unloaded… and so served only as an empty threat. Tembo looked down at his hands, and noted that in his dip into his ammunition bag, he had four shells in his palm. A quick glance between them, told them all he needed to know. The Gallimimus were rushing them, and they would only have one chance at this. As the animals rushed closer to the two of them, he jumped to the side, and Muldoon did likewise. They only barely missed it as the animals charged right by where they had been standing five seconds ago.

As the flock passed him by, he let them pass. His keen eye waited for one specific moment. There it was… one animal not at the tail end of the flock, but in the middle. It was running with a slight limp to it…he could see. His sights lined up now, at center mass, and he made the shot. The large dinosaur fell like a stone as the shot impeded and threw off its momentum. It disappeared into the long grass as it fell, its squeals alerting the rest of the flock, who then ran around it. He watched as the flock fled into the distance, stopping a few hundred meters from where they were. That was all right… he had a trophy of what he came here for. Slowly, Tembo walked forward as his porters also advanced…parting the reeds to reveal the animal lying prone, its chest heaving.

Muldoon lowered his rifle as he heard the sound of the jeep driving up to their position. He stared down at the animal, taking a breath as he realized what they had just done. But it wasn't dead, not yet anyway. He looked around, waiting for someone, anyone to take the fatal shot to put it down. None of them moved, and not even the porter driving the jeep got up from his seat. It seemed to him that the answer should be abundantly clear, even then he imagined. As he watched, Tembo gave him a nod and he understood. Looking down at the Gallimimus he watched it hack and cough as it struggeled to breathe. It was bleeding out even now, he could see, its wound was too much for it. It wouldn't last much longer, that much was clear, he he could easily see as he took a breath.

Slowly he raised his gun and loaded his shotgun. He could see out of his side view, one of the porters taking their handgun and holding it to his head. He paid no attention, and finished loading the weapon, lowering it to level with the dying animal. He sighed as he closed his eyes, realizing this must have been the intent of the Biosyn members all along. They would sully his hand in this, make him equal with them in terms of guilt. So it would be written, so it would be done. Muldoon looked up at Tembo, and saw one thing on his face. Genuine surprise at what his porter had done. So these men that he had hired were in Biosyn's pay all along? It seemed logical to him, that Rossiter would not leave anything to chance at all. If so, then there was only one thing to do really…

"I'm sorry…" Muldoon whispered slowly as his fingers closed on the trigger. He had spent years of his life on Hammond's goddamn island, trying to make sure that the dinosaurs kept inside the lines…but also that they were kept alive and healthy. And here he was…betraying that. This time not for any animal that was escaped or loose. It wasn't even a carnivore that was wheezing out its life out here. It was a herbivore, that would have been content to spend the rest of its life grazing out here. It made for a pitiful sight. And even though he knew in his mind that Tembo wasn't responsible for the gun pointed at his head, he shared part of the blame. For being here to selfishly make trophies of these majestic animals. "That you had to live again for the first time in sixty-five million years and the first impulse they have is to kill it." He closed his eyes.

And pulled the trigger. The report seemed loud, even to him, as he lowered the rifle. The Gallimimus gave a last shriek, and it's head fell back limply to the floor. The gun was wrested from his grip, but Muldoon paid no mind. He could care less really, as he sank to his knees, feeling the animal heave it's last breath. He felt nothing…nothing at all now. Except anger.


	18. States of Awareness

Karen stared down at the man as she and Finn loaded him into the jeep. Her mind was racing, trying to think, but she found that she couldn't come up with anything really. The reaction to the sonic gates had been overwhelming, and she could see Levine wasn't going to be okay anytime soon. She took a breath, knowing that it was partly her fault that this man was suffering…she could tell he was in pain by the ragged and shallow breaths he was taking. He rolled about on the back seat, even though they hadn't begun to move yet. They would probably have to use the seat belts to try and strap him in. But there was something else…. And she thought for now even this strange man could understand.

She'd surrendered her weapon to him-she had no choice really. And she was behind the driver's seat now, thinking over what to do now. The Carnotaur had stalked off, but now she looked around realizing they were in the lake district. There weren't anything to worry about, not for the moment. At least, the Parasaurs were the only dinosaur she could see. That meant that the other species in this area must be on the other side of the lake. She wanted to contact Rossiter to try and get some sort of help, but there was probably no way she could do this with this man here. He had both the guns holstered now, but she knew it would be futile to try and get them back-even if she had no idea how he had gotten into the place. But she had some idea of what to do now.

She turned to him, careful not to make any sudden moves or take her hands off of the steering wheel. "Listen…the man needs medical attention. Let me take him somewhere…the main compound," she indicated the walls that surrounded the preserve here. The man shook his head, as she well figured he probably would. Yes, if he truly was an intruder here, it would be too risky for him to go near it. "Let me take him somewhere else. There's a safe house just north of here." She looked at him, hoping he would accept and let her drive there. That was something she could think of that might have at least something to calm his pain, allow him to be able to come back a bit.

"Fine, take us there then." Finn said as he gave her a suspicious glance. He still didn't know what this was all about. After his near-death experience, he found himself with more questions and answers really. That creature chasing him…it had been unlike anything he had seen. The anomalies had been one thing, this was something else entirely. As the woman started up the jeep, he took a look around, his hands still at his hip. The terrain was rather grassy, and he could see that they had deviated a bit from the road. The man in the back was groaning, and he could tell right away that he was in bad shape. Which was probably the only reason why he had said okay to the woman's plea to go to the safe house. He didn't want to be the reason this man died…besides the safe hosue might be a good place to try and figure out what to do next from here.

They drove in silence, the car passing many of the various pylons on the way. The fields seemed empty, strangely so. He wondered why…but shook his head as he tried to clear his head. There was a lake to the side of them, but nothing was in sight, no animals or anything. To the side of him where she was driving he noticed that the savannah area the huge animal had been was disappearing, giving way to a line of pylons cutting crosswise. It was a large expanse in which he could see suddenly a large copse of trees, that seemed quite thick to him although appearances could of course be deceiving. There was no motion there, none at all, and he noticed that the car was veering towards the right side of the road even though they were well away from the pylon barrier. He might have thought it was out of concern for the man in the back, but he could see her eyes darting to the trees…there was nervousness in them.

He couldn't tell where the source of that nervousness was coming from, although it unnerved him more then he could say. He took a berath, as they passed the grove of trees. He noticed that it seemed to stretch a bit into the distance, and it seemed to him, that was a hell of a lot of ground. "What's in there?" he asked gesturing over to the line of the trees. He noticed that there seemed to be what appeared to be game trails peering out of the tree lines, rough tracks at least. That was odd…since otherwise that miniature forest seemed to him to be impervious. To his surprise, the woman shot him a look again; a scowl on her face as she simply drove continued driving without answering him. He supposed it didn't really matter anyways, since it had now been about ten minutes or so since they started driving and now he could see the row of pylons began to thin out, and a horizontal row appear in the distance.

This coincided with the edge of the trees, which was about a hundred yards from the furthest pylon more or less. Beyond, lay a rocky series of hills and dips, which they seemed to be heading for. He was confused…as to what this was all about. Why did the terrain so abruptly change? He was still lost as to what this place was… and the woman's vague answer of 'Jurassic World' had not helped one damn bit at all. But it seemed that maybe at the safe house he could get his bearings, try and figure out where he was. They began driving up the hill, and he looked back to see how the injured man was doing. Still groaning he could see, clearly not as well as he possibly could be. That was a damn shame, he thought as he turned to look back as the jeep suddenly lurched. "Why the hell we stopping?" Finn asked, as he turned to look out at the road. But then he was stunned into silence, because of what was there.

There was a group of about five or six large animals sitting right in the middle of the road. It was about six feet tall, and were dark green with a protruding domed forehead crowned by spikes. They sat lazily in the middle of the road, and they had a dull gaze, reminding him of the mindless stare of a cow. It was a bit unnerving in more then one aspect he supposed as he sat there looking at it, since the animals seemed completely unconcerned about the presence of a car not that far from where they were at. He was about to lean over and try and honk the horn of the wheel when he felt himself stopped by the woman taking hold of his hand, preventing him from doing so. "You moron-are you trying to get us killed?" She hissed at him, shaking her head as she looked over at the animals.

This idiot didn't really know anything, Karen decided as she looked at the animals on the road in front of them. First the snide remark about Zone 2, and now this…she didn't know if the man really knew what it was he got himself into really. Right now… this was a bit more then she wanted to deal with. And she could use the sonic to try and scatter them, however this was a bit tricky. For one, the road was a bit steep on this section, there wasn't really that much of a choice where the animals could go right now. On the other side of the road closest to her there was a pylon barrier so she couldn't risk taking Levine down manually. It was further away from the bunker too. She could see maybe them being made to go the opposite direction by the stress of the sound, but there was an obstacle to that. Stressed animals like the ones in front of them, they wouldn't go back only forwards when they were presented with two options like this. Maybe if the sides weren't so steep…

And then again there was the man behind her. She had no idea how turning on the sonic might affect him, it might have a detrimental effect, she supposed but there was really no telling, she thought. Damn, she might have to go to drastic measures, but she knew that also it might be bad if she were to get out of the car, especially with the Pachys right there. She hadn't personally seen them this close to the borders, not in all her trips out to the bunker. Normally they kept to the back end of the Quarry, the dips and valleys, but now they were here. She couldn't figure out why they had moved, but that wasn't really her problem right now was it. No, they needed to try and get past it.

There was one option open to them, and she considered it as she got out of the car. The animals didn't react at all, nor did she expect them to. The veterinarians that checked up on these animals had said they could be moody if approached. The dome forehead could slam into a wall with enough force to dent a car. She tried not to think about what that would do to a human. But there was another option, and the asshole in the passenger seat was holding both of them. The handgun that she had been carrying, it might be enough to scare the animals off. Turning to him, she nodded in the direction of the animals. "The gun you took. I need it." She hoped he would listen, at the least not try anything stupid. She knew the bunker was close, just over the rise anyways. So not that far, and her arm outstretched asking for the gun shouldn't be that unreasonable.

Finn didn't know what the hell the animals were, nor was anyone offering any sort of explanation. He was utterly perplexed as anything, and worse he didn't see a way out of his situation here. These things were blocking the road and for some goddamn reason this woman wasn't doing anything. Well, except ask for her gun back but there was no way in hell he was doing that. Not until he had some answers. He thought he knew why she might want it though, and he decided to try and do it himself then. Probably better then trusting her at any rate, in which he had no idea of what she might do or say really. He picked up the gun and looked back at her. "I'll take care of this," he said thinking he had it covered. He got out of the car himself, looking down at Levine as he did so. Aiming the gun, he sighed as he sighted down right above the lead animal. Hopefully it would be enough to startle them, or so he hoped.

"What the bloody hell?" He was startled as she lunged towards him, possibly to try to stop him firing. He held out a hand to try to hold her off, but he was already agitated by everything. It was all so frustrating really, and it was all eating away at him like nothing else. Pent up release that was only begging for a trigger to be pulled, with all of the stress that he had been through. And so regardless of her motivations for it, how she was pleading for him not to shoot even as her fingers reached for it, he couldn't figure out what the hell was going on any more. And he was tired of having no explanations. That stress required a trigger, which he felt his finger press on even as she hissed at him. It felt easy for some reason, almost as if it were the clearest decision he ever made.

The gunshot was extraordinarily loud to his ears, and was the one straw that brought Richard Levine to some level of lucidity. He blinked, staring at his hands as if there was something strange…he remembered searing pain through his body, and could feel his synapses still on fire. But it was dulled, and he felt himself very roughly trying to pull himself up. Everything was shaking, and he could hear voices. The woman was the first thing she saw as he stood up. Wrestling with a stranger, who was holding a gun. He couldn't comprehend, no not in that moment at least what was going on. It evaded him, eluded his grasp as to what he should do. But then he heard it-right after the gunshot, it seemed. A loud snort, like a bull right before it faced down a Matador. That sent an alert that not everything was okay.

And he saw it before the arguing pair did, the domed flat head, and the bipedal, tapering body. Pachylephosaurus Wyomingus he thought groggily to himself, automatically classifying the animal before any sense of danger reached his better motor functions. He tried to call out, but some of the shock stillremained, impeding his ability to say anything. It seemed he was only to be a silent witness, since he still lacked the strength to push himself up any further. It was as if in slow motion that he saw the animal come up beside them, almost softly. Then another followed it, and yet another. In his growing horror, he counted four or five of them, all walking around them until they surrounded the jeep. Now they could not even back out, should they choose to.

He took a breath, trying to come to his senses fast enough to think of something. Anything…but they were surrounded and now even the arguing pair realized this, as they stopped almost immediately…staring out at the surrounding animals that were encircling the jeep even now. They were close now, so close he could probably reach out and touch one, although every fibre of his being told him that would be a very bad idea. Instead, he tried not to meet their gaze; careful not to stare them back in the eye. He was being extremely cautious now, even more so then usual. But most of all, he was staring at the woman, wondering what she would choose to do next. After all, she was in charge of security here, she should know how the animals behaved… because he didn't have a goddamn clue. He had never been this close to the animals, only seen them from afar on Sorna.

Karen gave the stranger a dirty look as the animals surrounded them. She had only been reaching for the gun to prevent him from doing something stupid-exactly like he had proceeded to do right away. Now it was her problem to deal with she supposed, and right now, it was more then a minor problem at that as well. They were surrounded on all sides, and as she turned slowly, she could see that the animals were covering nearly all the avenues of escape. And to make a bad situation even worse, Levine was now starting to get up, all the commotion seeming to have roused him. She racked her brain, trying to think of a way out of this. There was the foggiest of an idea in her mind as she thought about things more…

Clearly the gun was out of the picture, as the man seemed to be holding on to it tighter now, clearly panicked. But now, his attention was focused entirely on the animals, and not to her. So now she had some idea of where to look. In the back of the jeep, there was packed some tools that might help get them both out of the rather sticky situation in which they had both found themselves in right now. She was decided, she thought as she grabbed hold of the hood of the jeep. Quickly, she scrambled across the hood, trying not to make eye contact with the beasts. She remembered that the vets had said that was taken as a sign of aggression. So that's what she was doing right now. She managed barely to get over the windshield as she landed in the front seat of the car. Taking a deep breath, she could hear them already starting to grunt as they paced back and forth along the line.

It wouldn't be long before one of them got impatient, and she was well aware of the narrow roads they were on. They were on a very tight rope here, all of them. She turned in her seat and noticed Levine trying to get up. "Stay down, it'll only excite them, she whispered as she climbed into the back seat, trying not to step on him as she leaned over in the trunk. There was a few boxes piles up in the back beyond the seat, and she brushed away some of them, as she got one labeled 'emergency'. There was about two of these boxes, so she grabbed the first one, and opened it. In it were two flares, and a flaregun along with ammunition for the pisto;. It was meant to be used if a vehicle got a flat or other mechanical problem and the radio wasn't working. The flare would be bright enough to catch the eye of a camera and hopefully someone back in the control room would see it and send help.

Out here though, there was no one that could help them except themselves, and she knew that more then anything. She stood up, the flares in hand. Levine looked up groggily, sitting upright now so that she wouldn't step on him most likely. "Are you insane?" He asked, seeing the flares in her hand. She knew that this might be their only chance, if only because the stranger's idiocy had gotten them into this situation in the first place. But he was in no position to stop her and they both knew that pretty much by now. The stranger was also starting to turn around, and his eyes widened as he saw her standing wit the flare gun in her hand. It was the only way, she thought as she turned to look around at the animals, the first of which was starting to back up.

Normally someone might take this as a sign of retreat, but she knew better, and from Levine's face she could tell he had the same idea. Only the stranger seemed lost, as he seemed to try to get back in the car-a bit too sudden. The lead Pachy lunged forward, its dome lowered as it slammed into the car door that the man had just closed. The force of the blow was palpable as the car was rocked sideways. Karen felt herself knocked off her feet, as she almost fell out of the car. The flare slipped from her hand, but she kept a firm grasp on the flare pistol, grabbing hold of one of the rebar supports on the struts of the Jeep. She looked around, as she saw that Levine was slumped over on the floor of the seat, groaning. The stranger was lying on his side, holding his head, and she couldn't see the gun.

The other animals began to breathe harder now, and she could see the huge dent that the Pachy had created in the passenger door. Another impact would damage the car even more, she could tell. Especially one from that direction would tip it over completely, she honestly believed. Maybe even damage the transmission, but she wasn't going to take that chance. There was a chance still, since she still held on to the flaregun. Only one chance, and the glare from it should just be enough. She aimed the gun, just as she saw several more animals beginning to back up. That meant she probably had even less time then she had thought previously. She swiveled instead to face the pylons, now that the situation had escalated to a higher degree of tension.

All or nothing now, she thought as one of the animals lunged again this time picking up speed. She tried to sight down the lines, but suddenly, was interrupted by a sharp rocking from the exact opposite direction. It shook her even more off her balance, and she felt the car listing badly, causing her to hold on to the support with her arm-just barely really if anything. She was taking a deep breath as she tried to aim again at the leader, but then she was unprepared for the animal in front of her ramming the jeep as weel. She flew backwards, her gun arm riding high as she lost control. But her finger had already been on the trigger; She felt the gun go off, only dimly as she fell backwards onto the seat. One instant she had time to see where the flare was firing, and her eyes widened as she realized where it was going.

It was heading right towards the pylon on the right side of the road, she realized. It hit, and sizzled there for a long moment, even as she fell. But then there was a crackling noise, almost like firecrackers popping. A sharp buzzing in her ears…and she felt a sharp jerking pain from her waist. Sparks flew from the open control panel where the flare had hit, and it sizzled as a high pitched buzz filled the immediate surrounding. It was followed immediately by the pained groans of the animals outside, as they reacted to the sonic field sputtering and shaking. Crying out, they began shuffling past the Jeep, down the road that it had climbed up. Leaving three people prone in the vehicle.A


	19. Control

Rossiter walked around the trailer with a look of doubt in his eye as he watched the security guards inspecting the scene. He had not known where the exact breach had occurred until he had seen the security footage of the car entering, and had immediately been struck by how easily the vehicle was able to bypass his checkpoints. That shouldn't have been possible, and now he and the security team were assembled here to try and figure out why this breach had occurred, and what exactly had gone on in this garage. So far, it did not seem like the answers made that much sense, as what they were finding was very disturbing. At the least, it made him re-think his earlier confidence a bit.

He stepped back to let the security people do their jobs, as the men continued their search. It wasn't the interior of the vehicle that concerned him, it was the interior of the trailer. As he entered by a ramp, he could see that there were scratch marks along the floor, and the whole interior smelled godawful. It did not seem that there was that much to see in here, so he did a quick turn, but thought that it seemed like it was being build for an animal, probably. The guards had been rotated already, and had been interviewed in the security lounge. Their stories seemed remarkably consistent, each insisting that the men had not offered them a bribe. No, their story seemed a bit more fantastic. That they had seen the interior of the trailer, and had seen an animal….

An animal that shouldn't exist anywhere besides Jurassic World, that was. To put it another way, they had thought the men had come to make a delivery. He filed that information in the back of his mind, that there had been two men. They had Muldoon where they wanted him, but he still needed to find out where the other had gone. Well, by the time he was done retracing their steps in this garage, he would find out, he was confident of that. He exited the trailer, as he turned to where the other security gaurds were clustered around in the loading bay. The smell of it was aweful, but it was too early for decomposition as it had only been a few hours, he knew. It shouldn't be that bad, but it was and that was another thing that caught his attention as he drew near, and the men began to roll back the sheet so that he could see what was happening. He immediately covered his nose with his sleeve to avoid the offending smell that was seeping out of the body.

It was a wreck, mangled beyond all recognition as a human body. And yet, as the security team had seen from the camera footage, it had been barely five minutes from the time the vehicle backed into the cargo bay, and the back doors to the opening had been rolled up. It seemed to him to be an incredible amount of damage, especially as he looked over. The dead security guard had a film of what appeared to be a black viscous substance over his face, it burnt to the touch, and it seemed like he had been screaming when something had ripped right into his chest. It must have been painful, he thought absently as he thought about it. That was something he could use. After Muldoon or this other man had taken the gaurds gun, the guard in the bay had been killed horrifically. It was murder, at least that's the way the courts would all look at this, he knew.

Not that this was ever going to reach the ear of the Mexican government, but this did give him a legitimate item to be pissed about. "Cover it back up-and test that slime on his face, I want to know what it is." The security gaurds nodded, as they carried the body away, and he tried to think. The video had been very fuzzy he thought as he walked back to where the garage led to the interior of the zone. The roll up door had already been placed back down, but before it had, they had noticed evidence of the grass being flattened, once by an obvious shoe track, and the other by… He shook his head, thinking there was much he still needed to figure out. The other man was out there in the park, and was possibly an uknown factor. He must have the gun, since Muldoon had been captured with a shock prod. There were a few ways he could figure out what was going on here.

He sighed, shaking his head. His chance at impressing the famous Hunter Roland Tembo, and this bullshit had to happen? He knew that it was very unfortunate timing, and probably couldn't be helped. But everything had been going well so far, and now had to shoehorn Muldoon at the last minute into the hunt had had no goddamn idea how that would impact things. But he knew Tembo was a rational man, would not be overtly disrupted. And sooner or later, he would have his answers. Why Muldoon had come here, what he had brought into his park, and why this other man had come here. There was a lot to think about, but he wouldn't find the answers here, he thought as he gave the signal to the security men to continue their work. He needed to go back to the control room, from where he could try and co-ordinate the affairs in the park itself.

As he walked, he thought that he ought to check on several things while he was there at least. His mind thought back to Ms. Sellers, who was currently babysitting Richard Levine. Once he got back to the control room, he would give her a call, let her know to be on the lookout just in case she saw or heard anything. About the mystery man, or even the mystery animal there in that trailer. Either one would be fine, but he found himself wishing a bit that he hadn't forced Muldoon to go out into the hunt. It had been attacking his guest that had forced his hand, otherwise he could have sat him in a detention cell and had him interrogated as to why he had broken into the park. But he had to live with what he had done, including the mistakes in the spur of the moment. As he entered the door to the control room, he saw the technicians working on the computers, and had an idea.

He could kill two birds with one stone, and try and solve two of the mysteries that this situation presented right now. As he walked up to a terminal, he nodded to one of the technicians. "Access Levine file 10-54", he barked, as the man subsequently began typing rapidly in the database to bring up the subsequent file. He brought up a chair and sat down as he watched the data file boot up. A satisfied smug grin across his face. After he had accosted Levine at the Embassy, he had managed to convince him to co-operate with them. He had the Costa Rican Counsel, and all it had taken to ensure that man's co-operation had been a hint that he both knew of the Nublar incident, and secondly, was not bound by the same non-disclosure agreements the rest were. Unless Levine were remanded into his custody, he would take the information to the United States Government.

And so he had been able to get Levine under his control. As soon as he had Levine where he wanted him, his men had broken into his apartment, and managed to retrieve the computers from it. Turned out Levine had been quite the collector of Ingen memorabilia, he thought idly, and retrieving data sets off of the computers had proved most illuminating. It shaved years of research off his own efforts, he thought to himself, as they were able to now stand on what Ingen had done, and follow it. A gold mine of information, but they had only barely scratched the surface, he thought to himself. A lot of it was password protected, and despite his efforts he hadn't been able to crack the encryption. That was partly the reason why he still needed him, to get access to the secrets of Ingen. Finally the technician brought up what he had been waiting for, and he stood up straighter.

Here it was, the animal list from Nublar itself, a bit corrupted due to the fragmentation of the data in forcible extraction.

Total Animals: 238

Species Expected Found Ver

Tyrannosaurs | 2 | 2 4.1  
Maiasaurs | 21 2 3.3  
**Corrupted File**  
Triceratops | 8 | 8 3.1  
Procompsognathids 49 49 3.9  
Othnelia 16 16 3.1  
Velociraptors 8 8 3.0  
**Corrupted File**  
Hadrosaurs 11 11 ?  
Dilophosaurs 7 7 4.3  
**Corrupted file**  
Hypsilophodontids 33 33 2.9  
**Corrupted file**  
Styracosaurs 18 18 4.1  
Total : **238 238**

As Rossiter could see from Ingen's list, there were many he had in stock in the park, but also some he didn't. His technicians couldn't figure out the identity of the four corrupted files, but he thought he had an inkling of what they might be. The Gallimimus, the Parasaurolophus, the Carnotaur, and the Pachycephalosaurus seemed to fit perfectly into the corrupted spaces, and so maybe these were the missing Ingen dinosaurs on Isla Nublar during the incident. At least, that was how he accounted for it in his mind. "Cross reference dinosaurs listed," he instructed the technicians as he gave them specifications as to size judging on the trailer size he had observed.

It was just a hunch, but something was nagging at him. In the back of his mind, he looked at the list, and thought about it. He brushed the man on the console out of the way and began typing something in, this time about the viscous material he had found at the scene. It gave him something, he thought as he smiled in triumph.

**Incident Report: **  
All Departments note- Handle with care!  
Safety is everyone's business!  
Wear visors near animal at all times.  
Blindness isn't worth it!

Rossiter scanned the memo frowning, not quite putting it into thoughts but thinking very quickly. He thought maybe he could understand what had happened, just not how or in what way Muldoon had managed to acquire such a specimen. But he always tried his best to reverse even what might initially appear to be unfortunate timing or bad luck. If properly captured, something like this could be duplicated, he thought quickly-perhaps even contained although he would have to figure it out later in the planning. For now, they needed action. They had a stray animal loose here that was not contained by a sonic radio tag. He picked up the radio, and set it to speak.

"All units, we have a possible malfunction. There is a untagged specimen wandering inside the park. Nature of the specimen uknown. Approach with extreme caution, and wear eye protection," he said as he turned the comm. Off. But then his attention was diverted as he looked up to see another monitor flashing. Oh what now, maybe it was one of the porters-in actuality his paid employees calling in to report that they needed pickup for another trophy. He had sent a jeep not that long ago to pick up the Gallimimus, and even now the taxidermist section was busy working on the animal to transfer it into a suitable trophy ready for shipping. But no, the call was a bit different this time… A message flashed over, and he frowned as he looked at it.

"Localized field outage", damn this was one of the things he didn't want to have happen, but thankfully the damage here was minimal. The pylons had been constructed so that damage to one didn't mean the whole field would be disrupted. However, the damage extended to the pylons to the direct left and right, leaving a small area for anything to slip through. Thankfully, checking the video screens he could see that no one seemed to be near that pylon at the moment. Well, there was a jeep, but it seemed that there was no one in it at the moment right next to the pylon. Maybe they were trying to fix it themselves, but he doubted they would get that far in doing so. The real issue was if someone opened the panels and tried screwing with the workings to try and fix things, they might end up making it worse. So he knew that something would have to be done.

The camera on top of the affected pylon also seemed to be damaged for some reason, and so he couldn't see if the jeep was empty or not. Well, he would find out soon enough, he thought as he grabbed the comm. Again. There were only two jeeps out there so far, Roland's party and Sellers out there with Levine somewhere. Thinking about it again, he dialed into Seller's frequency, thinking she would probably be the one closest. At least try and make sure none of the animals got over the line before a technician could come and take a look. It was worth a try, he suspected, and they really didn't have that much to lose. "Hello,Mrs. Sellers… we got an issue with one of our pylons. Zone 3 I believe, right near the ridge road intersection…" he turned the comm. Over as all he got was hissing static.

Damn, she wasn't receiving it, he realized as he putt the radio back down, staring up at the viewscreen. The jeep must be hers right there, he saw but he couldn't see if she had been in it. Fine, whatever. He could work around this, he usually managed to in situations like this. He had other operators who could quickly step in in a situation like this, figure out where they needed to move and how fast. It was easier that way, when he could get them moving this fast. Even as he picked up the other radio, he noticed a proximity alert on the side. Great, that meant an animal was out of its prescribed zone. Might need a bit more attention then. "Allright, two jeeps. I need a technician to go to the damaged pylon and fix the fence. The other take a complement of two. Normal precautions necessary." He wasn't sure where exactly the ridge road cutout had occurred, so he ordered the guy at the computer to connect to yet another camera.

He could see it now it was at an area close to the intersections of Zones 2,3 and 5. Half of the breach seemed to be near zone five, but some of it was exposed to Zone 2. He sighed with a bit of relief as he realized part of that road was extremely steep. Saved by more then a bit of luck, he thought to himself as he began to lean back, but still thought that he had better be safe then sorry. After all, there was always the possibility that some animals had gone down the slope. Especially the Pachycelophsaurs, he knew that they liked to lie down on the paths often, but usually a blast of the sonic was enough to get them moving. Still, it was something to think about that they could have wandered into Zone 5. If that was the case…then he needed to do a quick check.

Typing in, he quickly brought up the Zone counts. In addition to the sonic tags, each row of pylons had a set of computerized sensors that interfaced with the animals in a specific zone. He had tried to get it to account for blackouts like this, so that animals could be traced even if the sonic system should fail. A backup, so to speak that would hopefully work out the way he wanted it to. They had a separate sysyem, a bit more fluid then Ingen's old system that he could trace from the files taken from Levine's computer. He had it now, and brought up the screen to see how it was as of now.

Species: | Contained | Found| Loc:

Zone 1: Carnotaur | 1 | 1| Ismaloya  
Parasaurs | 8 | 7| AbFm

Zone 2: Tyrannosaur | 1 |1| AbFm  
Pachcephalosaurs | 0| 3 | AbFm

Zone 3: Pachycephalosaurs | 7| 4| AbFm  
Styracosaurs |9 | 9| AbFm

Zone 4: Gallimimus | 6| 5| AbFm  
Hadrosaurs | 7| 7| Ab Fm

Zone 5: Triceratops | 6| 6| AbFm  
Parasaurs |7|7| Abfm

Species: 8 Animals Contained: 52. Found: 50

As Rossiter looked over, he could make sense of some of where the 2 discrepences with the animals were. The Carnotaur had taken out one of the Parasaurs, that much was obvious. In fact, that was the only reason that they had put the stock of Parasaurs in there, to give the predator something to chase so that it would not constantly be trying to ambush Jeeps that came in with the feed. That invisibility was a pain in the ass, and he was seriously thinking of switching to air drops like they did for zone 2, for obvious reasons. The missing Galli was due to the hunters, and he thought that they were heading to Zone 1 next so he should be prepared to take off another Parasaur probably. But he was going to have to give them explicit instructions not to take the Carnotaur. That animal was only for someone who would pay enough to make its elimination worthwhile. Plus, he still needed his scientists to breed a backup just in case they should wish to 'offer it again'.

But it was clear. That the Pachys were in the Rex's zone. The one zone that someone had the bright idea of covering mostly with dense forest. He had let himself be talked into thinking that this would give the animal plenty of space to hide, and give it a sporting chance. He had gone along with that mostly because he didn't particularly want the animal to be taken too easily. That was his trophy, and regrettably the one thing he had to sacrifice in order to sell Tembo on it. But he could always make more, he thought thinking of the publicity the picture of Tembo standing alongside his trophy in his hall would mean for his preserve. But this was giving him another idea of how to possibly deal with this.

"The second jeep…send it with maximum four people. Set sonic to maximum, and bring the shock prods, especially one that can be affixed to a car." He would deal with this his way; everything seemed to be falling into place. Even these small aberrations in his plan, he could fix them, make them work to his advantage possibly, at least that was what he hoped. The only thing he could think of that might possibly mean anything was the Pachys, but if the situation got too dangerous, he would just ask the men to pull out. Besides, even if the Rex chomped one of the Pachys, Tembo was still going to take care of it today, so they would have plenty of time to round up the other two.


	20. Independent Variables

Roland Tembo looked over the expanse of grass, taking in the different terrain. The grass seemed a bit shorter here in the other zone, and he could see some obvious differences in the way the trails were marked in the grass, at least from his position in the jeep. There seemed to be creases in the grass in single file, unlike the other animals, which had just relied on speed to evade predators and which had attempted to spread out. This was clearly a different style of evasion, and probably a different sort of animal. It was the prey species, he understood and had been told before that each zone had only two species. Something to do with maintaining balance, but probably to keep numbers low.

He was interested most in the animal he had seen in the monitor. A Carnotaur, or so Rossiter had told him. He had refused to show him the animal count, something about not wanting to spoil the surprise. But some part of him asked himself if this really was what their deal was. The animal seemed large enough to provide a good sport, and it had been some time in which he had taken a carnivorous animal of a decent size. From the look of it, not only did it probably meet his size criteria, but also it it probably could take a few shots to make the unwary hunter pay for a shot in a non-vital area. That was something of the aspect of challenge he had been looking for…

He could see a few copses of trees dotted around the zone, as they continued to drive. That was a bit more then there had been in the last zone. The two of the porters were in the front seat, and the other was sitting opposite them in the jeep. It was clear that these men that he had hired really had Rossiter on their paycheck, he thought as he shook his head. Clearly he hadn't done his research when he had his people gather the most experienced porters that he could think of. He was getting sloppy, he should have handpicked them himself, like he had done back in the days when he was still in the Safari. Now it was more like a chaperoned hunt, he thought with distaste, the reveal of their true allegiance making it seem somewhat odd to his taste.

But back again to the subject of the trees, he knew that in the last zone the animals had remained in the shelter of the trees, and wondered if this would be the case again. After all, a large carnivorous animal was in this selfsame zone, so he supposed that unlike the other zones, animals in this zone should display a distinctive wariness about them, some sort of skittishness that no other animals in the zones would display. It would be an interesting proposition then, chasing an animal that was scared of you, and what you might be able to chase them down with. It was in moments like that, that Tembo had the thrill of the hunt to its fullest potential, and felt the most alive.

But not looking alive was the man next to him, Robert Muldoon. The famous hunter he'd heard so much about, but had not been able to fully see him in action. His part in this was still a mystery, and he still wondered why someone so illustrious in his hunts should have chosen to leave Africa all these years ago for a small central American country. And apparently stared in the area ever since, which only served to puzzle him further, it really was quite perplexing as to what possible motive he could have for coming here. His reactions in the control room…and then his reactions in the hunting of the first animal… it was all very curious. Here they were in the chance of a lifetime, and Muldoon barely batted an eye in the sight of these animals that should be extinct for sixty-five million years. Yes, something seemed terribly off about his whole behavior.

He had not seemed surprised, yes he was a professional but this was something else entirely, he knew. He would find out what the problem before they were done here, he was sure. For now, he saw nothing but the expanse of prairie before them, devoid of game, although he was sure that with a carnivore in the vicinity, the prey would probably be more cautious. Indeed, several minutes had passed before they had entered and there was still no indication from the porter scanning the area that there had been anything. "I get that you don't want to talk, but the least you can do is tell me what the deal is. Not every chance I get to hunt with the only other hunter in all of the Contintent that can claim to be my equal." High praise coming from him, but he didn't think that would be enough to get this man talking. Not if he had assessed him right…

He was. Muldoon turned his head slowly to stare at him, and his gaze seemed piercing. Almost as if the man wasn't worth his time. Tembo wasn't what he was here for, the stare said, only readable by such men as they were…who had walked along the path of the hunter. He knew it, and so did Tembo, these stares having been the currency of a thousand campfire moments. And now they were on that singular hunt, but one that would hopefully start the avalanche of many more to come. And so far as he knew, Tembo had been the first to get such a trophy, which he was more then happy with. But the real goal of this was yet to come, he could imagine and it seemed like the jeep was slowing. And turning, Muldoon could see the game trail becoming more defined as the jeep waded through the grass. With any luck they would be closer then he thought-  
"These animals exist for the first time in sixty-five million years and your first impulse is to kill it?" Tembo blinked as he turned his head again and realized it ws Muldoon who had spoken. He had not been expecting that at all, thinking that his fellow passenger was going to be silent the entire time. He shook his head a bit and gave Muldoon a raised eyebrow. Muldoon was a hunter too…what was this coming from him? Either extremely uncharacteristic or he had changed a lot more then he thought. Either way, he had an answer for that, he always did. Muldoon was hardly the first to call him into question when it came to his…pursuits. And he wouldn't be the last either, he noted as he scratched his chin thoughtfully.

However much he wanted to dwell on that, he supposed that there wasn't going to be that much time for them to think about it. The jeep was slowing even now, but that should be enough for him to say something. "These animals were created by man…" he said turning his head and furrowing his brow. "They can't survive without us, this whole place…it's been built for them. " He tipped his hat sideways, as the car began to slow to almost a crawl. "I thought you of all people would understand that, Muldoon." He shook his head, he was almost a little disappointed he could say really. Finally meeting the man himself and he seemed to be maybe a bit less then what he had seen. Had all these years in whatever job he'd had previous softened him? Perhaps it may have, but he was not quite willing yet to make judgements before it had all finished.

The jeep stopped before further conversation, and the men on the passenger seat jumped out, and so did the man in the back. They seemed to move quickly around the surrounding area, and Tembo stood up, trying to figure out what they had seen in the area to justify stopping here. The men were not utilizing the binoculors or tripod and so that confirmed his initial assessment that there was no game in the immediate vicinity that he could see so far. So that meant there was a few possibilities that he was sure of that might be considered for something that they might be on to. The game trail stuck in his head as something that might be a candidate, depending on how old the track was. But then as the driver opened the door, he suddenly had another possibility thrust upon him. There was a smell that assaulted his senses…

A most foul one too, as he saw Muldoon covering his face with his sleeve, and could see that it was affecting him too. But it came, he could clearly see where. There was a slight depression in the grass to the side of them, and the hunters were circling it, and he saw now that they had some sort of device in their hands, he couldn't figure out what. But regardless, as the driver followed them, he and Muldoon circled the small clearing through the grass and saw what was there. There was a mass of decaying flesh, he could see that it was bloated beyond recognition, but it was not that hard to figure out that it must be one of the herbivorous species in the zone that was around.

The porters drew off, then set something of a triangle around the carcass, most probably attempting to figure out a vantage point. Tembo, felt his eyebrow go up as he knew what this meant…and felt slightly disappointed. Was this Rossiter's idea of the biggest to hunt? Besides they had gone only one zone so far, and he knew that it was professional courtesy in all guided hunts to leave the best for last, so as to make the hunt feel all the better. As he was pondering this, the driver came up to him and placed something in his hands. He noticed it was a portable radio, and he had a sense that he was about to try and find out… The light on the radio was on, and he turned up the volume. Not too loud, because he knew that if they were hunting something they would want to be as discreet as humanly possible.

The radio crackled and sputtered to life as the connection was made. "Roland-" the voice over the radio began as Tembo realized Rossiter was talking. "Now I know this isn't what I promised you, but right now we got a bit of a situation in the other zone, and so until we can get this fixed, I want to give you the chance to hunt something dangerous. Think of it as a consolation for being delayed a bit on your trophy-" the radio cut off, and Tembo handed it back to the guide, frowning as he did so. He looked back at the corpse, which already had a substantial number of flies in it. Clearly the animal had fed earlier, and would be back for it. He thought about it as he turned and saw Muldoon staring at the corpse, leaning over it.

Again, why the man should be so interested eluded him, as his interest in it was minimal beyond the obvious reason of it being bait. The porters were doing a good job of securing something of a perimeter, and he could see them rigging up a system, involving ropes and pegs, and taking them back to the jeep. Intriguing, so that if the animal were to cross the line, it would activate something, he was quite sure. For an animal that could make itself invisible, they had something of a good defense, he thought to himself, as he turned to help the other man set up a tripod in the center near the carcass. Sooner or later it would show to claim its prize, and they would easily take it down. It couldn't get any simpler then that, he thought so anyways. There was nothing that could go wrong with this, and even if Muldoon didn't seem to want to get with the program, he was sure of one thing: that at the least it wouldn't ruin his hunt.

-

Muldoon could care less about the hunt at this point, even if he could appreciate coldly the form that was going into this now. They were prepping the place almost as if they were hunting for a leopard, except that this animal would be many times more deadly. However, while they were thus preoccupied, Muldoon was left alone. Probably for the best, he thought has he looked around with a sigh. Still on his list of things to do, was get the hell out of here. But before he did that, he had to grab Levine, because he couldn't just leave him here. He didn't know how or why they were holding him, but he would get him out. Same for Finn, the man really was out of his element here…

He doubted whether it was a good idea to bring Finn here in the first place. When he had seen the giant structure from the hills, he had an inkling of what it likely was, even as he had seen the trailers. It was something he had thought impossible, but all signs led to here, Finn had recorded lots of anomalous activity around the place, but from the size of the animals, Muldoon knew that these disruptions were not caused by escaped animals. No, this place had been well designed against that, but he thought for a second, that some place like this might possibly be… Then his attention turned to the carcass, as he saw that everyone else was fixated on securing a perimeter. They would only try to interfere if he broke off and tried to make a run for it-and he wasn't fool enough to think he would get far.

However, if he just stood here or even-he took a step forward as he began to circle the bait. He wanted to get a good look at it before the porters attempted to cut a vein or something to try and draw the prey in. It was bloated that was evident, and the flies had covered it pretty thickly. He heard their constant buzzing in and out of his ears, but swatted them away casually. They did not bother him so much, no, what was troubling him was something else entirely. As he surveyed the prone animal, he could figure out the general dimensions, even as he rubbed his chin, trying to figure out what it was. It seemed in general size like the Hadrosaurs on Nublar-but slightly different. Although there was bloating, he could see there was a long, thin crest jutting from its head, and wondered…

It wasn't a species he was familiar with, although it did cross his path that like the fast ones that this could be one from the other facility Levine had told him about. Possibly, he thought absently, as he tried to inspect it. The flies were more then aggressive as they buzzed out trying to deter him from their meal. He couldn't see where the point of injury was, due in part to the thickness of the flies. He frowned, this seemed off in more then one way really. He should be able to see the wound, if in fact there was only one predator in this zone. He had seen how large the Carnotaur had been in Ismaloya….and if the animal here was fully grown, it should have left some similar level of damage after making its kill. So that was a possible discrepancy there, he noted vaguely. And in his previous years as a hunter, if there was one thing he always watched for-it was finding the discrepancy. Often finding it could be the difference between succeeding in the chase, or being left in the dust.

Details were one of these things that were incredibly significant to how things might go he thought especially as he approached the carcass. The flies really were thick, he thought, as he took off his hat, thinking to try to wave them off by slapping the carcass a few times. Might not get all of them off, but at the least, he needed to see the wound, or how big it was. Because he noticed something strange, that the flies were not congregating on the jugular, but rather on the side of the animal, which was odd. Even the Carnotaur should be going right for the neck, he realized even with its lesser size, and the fact that even before bloating, this animal seemed to be sub-adult he would guess in its size. They had sub-adult Hadrosaurs on Nublar, and so this thing looked about the same, possibly even in the same family.

He probably would have only a short time to check anyways, before they set up their blind, which he could already see them working on in the corner of his eye. They really were halfway there with the blind, and after that, he knew he would probably be forced to wait in there with the rest of them until their quarry came to investigate it. So that gave impetus to his efforts as he stepped forward, and with a swipe of his hat, swatted the area where the flies were congregating the densest. The flies reacted swiftly, some flying too and fro, others buzzing in his ears in an attempt to scare him off. Still others covering his face and arms as they swarmed everywhere they could. But he covered his eyes so that they couldn't get to him completely; they would not succeed in their attempt to deter him. This was nothing…he had seen kills look worse then this, he thought even as he dug in with his hands to swat aside the great masses of flies.

But as the pebbled surface of the texture gave way, he was able to see what lay beneath. And as he did, the flies lifted off of these surfaces for brief moments, all too brief, but yet enlightening. He stepped back in horror as he saw what it was, really stunned and shocked. He supposed he should have expected this after all that time, but even then, it still came very unexpected to him, and he could honestly say he was well blindsided. He turned, and saw there was one of the porters there, approaching him, and he had a knife. He realized the intention immediately, and stood in his way. "Look, I need to speak to Tembo, it's urgent-at the least, I have something that he needs to know." The man scowled at him, and shoved him out of the way not gently at all either. Muldoon stumbled to the side, beaten back as he saw the man getting ready to carve the animal.

He would give the man credit; he knew a fresh carcass when he saw one-which was the reason why there were so many flies here. And now, in this region where the flies had been purged off the skin by the swinging of the knife, he could see why the bloating had centered around there and not anywhere else. On the flank of the animal were several diagonal slashes, piercing deep enough so that the animal would lose blood rapidly and directly. However, that was not what shocked him. It was that these slash marks were directed, they seemed almost in a flurry. But even from here, he could see that it wasn't the work of a single animal, as he could see other smaller marks that weren't slashing. Possibly other claws…he frowned as the other porter brushed past him with a knife, ready to assist.

No, this was wrong. This was wrong. He pushed forward again, but the men stared at him finally when he failed to desist from attempting to reach the carcass. "Just wait, I want to show you there-s something very wrong here," the man gave him a glance as if considering it, then roughly pushed Muldoon to the ground. Muldoon could see it even as the men got to work cutting at the flesh of the animal, to attempt to enlarge the size of the wound, and thereby increase the stench of the blood. They ripped the slashing wounds larger, he saw to his horror, and as they did so, they appeared to rip something out of the wound and toss it to the side. Muldoon scrambled to pick it up, as Tembo approached him. "We're ready to get in the blind now, if you don't mind," the other man said almost impatiently.

Muldoon nodded, but this time his smile was one of knowingness. He knew something they didn't… And could use this greatly to his advantage. Getting up, he discreetly slipped the Sickle Claw into his pocket, as he rose to meet the man who fancied himself his equal. Let him believe that for now. "Sure, I'm confident this hunt will be everything you expected it to be," he said smoothly and dangerously as he gestured towards the blind. "Now for the long wait I guess, my favorite part of the chase." He knew with something like this, the carnivore would know better then an obvious trap. It would wait…. Wait for nightfall. And then it would strike. Either that or…Muldoon felt the raptor claw in his pocket. They might have some extra visitors. Guess Finn's anomalies were going to pay off in a way after all.


	21. The Dead Zone

Karen stirred as she felt pushed herself up from the back seat where she had fallen. It was as if she hit her head, she thought, and that was what had happened…She looked around, and saw no one else in the car. She still felt a bit dizzy, a side effect of the fall most probably, but as she got up, she could see that she had been right in her initial assessment…she was alone here in the car. That caused her attention to snap back to her situation rather fast, and she frowned as she tried to think of how much time had elapsed since the incident. Not that long surely…

Her watch was gone…but thankfully the Pachys were as well. She wondered vaguely where they could have gone off too…perhaps they had gotten bored when they saw that they were all knocked out. Possibly. She could see a flurry of tracks leading past the car though, most of them animal. She immediately thought to check her radio, but saw that it wasn't in her belt either. She shook her head as she turned to see where the keys were. Not in the ignition, which meant that they could be anywhere by now. For all she knew, the stranger had something to do with it, taken Levine too, for who knows what reason. She regretted not taking the stranger back to control immediately.

She jumped out the back, figuring she would walk then to the safe house. Even if they'd taken her keys for it, she knew where one was hidden around the perimeter of the house. If she could beat them there, she could find a way to call security, tell them that there had been an incident with the animals, and secondly, that there had been an intrusion in the park. She vaguely remembered the flare hitting the pylon before she had blacked out, and decided to take a look. If there was any damage, this was the sort of thing she would need to tell headquarters about before they got any further on things, she knew. It was only a short in one central part of the grid, but that was enough for things to get messy, she knew.

Yup, she thought to herself as she walked down the small incline to look. There had been some disturbance of the rock, the Pachys had probably gone down it, maybe out of curiousity. Sometimes animals knew the limits of the pylons, but you never really knew if that was something that they would ingrain within themselves really. That was why she had wanted for there to be more comprehensive video systems around the pylons when she had been hired. However, since she knew that these things had some sort of sensor relay- due in part to her insistence on some security mechanism, there probably would be some notification from Control, depending on how much time had passed.

She looked around, and saw something that seemed very unusual indeed. She had almost forgotten there was a side road off the side of the road, intended to provide better access to the pylons maitenance. It was that curve in the road she was coming to now, as she stepped off the gravel, onto it. She could easily see the footprints from the animals, where they had left their impressions as they had gone past. Right now, there was another thing that was breaking up the tracks…it was a tire tread, that was around the bend that was leading towards the fence line. All she needed to do was follow that, it seemed.

She could see them now, which meant that Rossiter had noticed the outage and sent someone to check them after a while. That was good, it seemed for now that she might have some backup shortly. Even if Levine and the stranger were holed up in the bunker, she would be back at the control area and relax, hopefully sooner, she thought. After all, they needed to have a discussion about providing additional portable sonic devices, especially after the incident with the Pachys. That had been more then a bit unnerving with that aggressive behavior. They should not be acting like that, or at least she didn't remember them acting like that the last time she had come to check on Levine at the safe house.

The jeep she could see right now, or at least the tail end of it anyway. There was a small cul-de-sac as it dropped off the gravel to a low dirt road that led directly alongside the path. She quickened her pace, walking along the side of the car as she looked inside. Empty, like before. At least, she could see that for now. No key in the ignition either, but she remembered, and noticed that the back seat seemed to be a little disturbed, and one of the boxes that was labeled 'emergency' was open, and she could see that it seemed scattered, almost thrown open so she could see at the very least. She frowned, it was almost like it had been taken in a hurry. She looked up, seeing the Pylon from which she had hit with the other flare.

That was a bit…unsettling, she thought at as she just figured she'd walk down on her own there was another slight dip. That was where the access to the pylon panel was. But there was still no sign of whoever had been assigned to handle the malfunction, and she didn't really want to spend more time in this sectionthen she really needed to. After all, this was the next pen to the Rex one, and she didn't know what if anywhere, the man was that had been sent here. There was little back at the Jeep, so she thought she might as well try and see how far they had gotten. At the least, she need to shut the connection so that the fence would be somewhat more stable.

She stepped down, and looked down at the Pylons. There was a sight immediately that she wished she had been able to think over her choice. The man who was assigned there certainly was. He was spread prone on the floor, the end of a flare still in his hand. He was right before the pylon, she could see- but only just. He was spread-eagled on the floor. But that was not what she was focusing on, more like she was focusing on the large gash right in the center of his chest. There was blood all over, so much blood she at first was unable to tear her eyes away from the corpse as she suddenly felt herself fixated on it. All her experience with the animals seemed to be totally unpreparing her for it really. She looked up, almost feeling like she needed to get closer to try and see what could have possibly…

She could only think perhaps the Carno could have caused a wound like that, but it was too far away in respect to where she knew the zone was. As she stepped forward cautiously, she felt uneasy, even though could see the man's grimace on his face, but it was half a grimace, and another an aborted scream, she could see. Like he had been in utter agony in his final few moments, from what she could tell. It was really something of a scene, she could see she felt herself feeling a bit queasy, and she saw the man's radio a few feet away from his other hand, like he had been trying to call for help. There was something off with it, she noticed. Almost right away. But she still couldn't put her finger on it.

She looked up, and saw there was a tool box next to him, with a few scattered tools aside it. The Pylon was up there, next to him, and the panel was open, and she could see the residual burn marks from the flare. She thought if the radio was still functioning she could get some more backup here, to try and investigate whatever had happened here, it seemed. But as she made her way towards the scene, she looked around to see if whatever had done this was still around. Actually, if she didn't know any better, she'd say it looked something like…

She was close to the pylon now, and although she didn't know that much about how to fix these…she figured that with these tools she could perhaps at the least manage to stabilize whatever it was. It didn't seem like it was going to be that difficult at all really, she thought as she cautiously bent down to the toolbox, looking around to see what it was that might be around. She picked up a wrench without looking up, and a screwdriver in the other. She glanced at the panel, seeing the circuitry and all of that really, maybe it was a bit beyond her, she believed. But still, she could see if there w as anything that much broken or torn.

As she walked slowly towards the pylon, she could see it better, maybe she could get to work on it after all. Then there was a snap, like a branch breaking somewhere. She stopped, realizing which paddock she was up against right now. The Rex Paddock…but the trees were still far away, and she saw no sign of movement in the open plain. Certainly it couldn't be anywhere close by, or so she didn't think. She stepped closer, looking up at the Pylon and it was on a short incline right right, it shouldn't be a long time with this. Then why was she still so nervous? She could not think of a single reason why.

As she got closer, she heard Another crunch, and saw some pebbles rolling down the incline. Taking a breath, she could feel it. It was like something was coming closer-an animal perhaps. Maybe around the size of one of the Pachys? Even solo, she didn't feel like approaching one of these things alone. She stood still, waiting for whatever it was to reveal itself, feeling a cold sweat running down her as she did so. It wasn't something she looked forward to no, it was something she dreaded, very much indeed. Whatever was there, she had some feeling about it yes, and she felt suddenly that the wrench and screwdriver in her hands seemed small.

Then there was another thud, as she heard something definitely coming around the bend. Her hands tightened their grip as she tentatively walked forward, looking out the corner of her eye at the jeep which seemed far away. But as she glanced at the panel, it seemed really too tempting not to try and see what she could fix while she was there. So she got right up to it now, close enough to perhaps attempt to survey what the problem was. The open panel seemed a mess of wiring and circuits, but some stuff clearly was disconnected, and she thought she could see where some of it connected, given the matching colors with the wire and the conduits. Maybe it wouldn't be that difficult after all, she thought as she placed the wrench in her pocket, and got to work with the screwdriver trying to see what was wrong with another panel.

This was a bit easy, she thought with a wry grin, almost too easy. That suspicion was confirmed five seconds later, when she saw it out of the corner of her eye, and her attention was diverted from the panel-this time more solidly. She blinked as she stepped back, holding the screwdriver in her hand as the thing came into view. It was the size of a man, she could see…about six feet tall. It was different…much more different then the other animals she could see. The first thing her eyes registered were its talons, whatever it was, that were on end of long scaly legs…that were enveloped by a large and powerful feathered body. God, it looked for all the word like some sort of malformed Cassowary, although she knew that couldn't be the case.

It was different for one, larger and bulkier built then any that she had seen in a zoo. Its feathers were a shade of blue she hadn't seen before, and its wings were alongside its body, apparently useless. But it's neck craned up at her in curiosity, the blue feathers revealing piercing eyes, and a large beak that would put a toucan to shame. Only the red on the beak wasn't natural, she realized…and there was also reddish stains on its talons… It clicked for her, what had attacked the man behind her. And it was looking right up at her, she noticed. A chill ran down her body as she realized something. This creature wasn't on Rossiter's list, that they had gone over when she'd taken the job. And yet It couldn't be anything in nature, no freak zoo escape was this for damn sure.

She instinctually backed up slowly, even as it stalked towards her position with frightening slowness. Maybe if she could get far enough it would be satisfied with the corpse on the ground and she could grab the radio and call for backup…the radio…she thought as she felt her heel kick something as she walked. There was a static crackle, and she knew what she must have hit. The radio crackled to life with a burst of static as it skidded across the gravel. She froze, seeing the animal rear up, as it looked directly at her again, this time refocusing. It was aware of her, there was no doubt in her mind now if there had been before. She was treading a fine line…and this was more then a little dangerous.

The radio staticked again, and she could hear a voice over it, like someone trying to make their voice heard. She began to back up some more, kicking th radio to the side as she did so. The animal didn't react at all, just kept on a straight menacing pace towards her as it advanced. She felt the chills even more as she could feel herself quickening her pace. The thing was like a bird of prey she thought, no dinosaur this… But she could get away, she thought even more to herself as she stepped over the corpse, knowing that there was no time for sqeamishness, not here at the least. She had been faced now with the unenviable position of having next to no information to cover this…not at all. And she really was at a loss, even as the large bird-thing advanced.

She was tempted to break into a run, but knew that it would probably be on her before anything if she acted on it. She held up her wrench, ready to use if it need be. She didn't know where this thing had come from, but she was sure that it probably was not an answer she might want to know. It came closer, and lowered its head experimentally at the corpse as it pecked. That poor man must have been its kill, she thought as if it wasn't more obvious then it was. It turned its head vaguely in the direction of the radio, as noise still continued to come out of it. But it didn't advance towards the sound of the noise. It could tell it wasn't alive… She could see that it wasn't falling for it. It turned its head up as she tried to walk backwards uphill, the incline of the gravel having made some noise. But it wasn't that loud was it…

The animal was faster then she would have given credit for, given its size. It leaped forward, the gravel crunching under its talons as it did. She stepped back, but it was too close, really too close that she was more then unprepared as it lunged with its beak then. She nearly tripped as she stabbed with her screwdriver as she felt the first rush of feathers against her it began attempting to bowl her over. She felt the animal squawk as she made contact, it's beak attempting to find purchase on the sleeve. It's reddened face was even more so now, and she wondered where the hell a monster like this could have come from.

But no time to think about it now, or it would be over. She scrambled backwards as the creature stopped to squawk in pain. She didn't have the keys so she couldn't go to escape In the jeep…although there was something there that might help her now. The flares, that were it, she remembered as she continued to hurridly make her way up there. The animal was following her, and she could feel the trembling of the pebbles falling down the path. No time to look back though, she needed to get on the higher ground. She was now on the higher path, so fast had she been running to get away. It was her only hope, she thought as she ran around to the back of the jeep, seeing that the big bird was at the top now, facing her. She looked down at the flare boxes, remembered that one was open.

As it watched her, she stared right back, realizing she would have to drop something. She threw the screwdriver at it, but it missed, and grabbed a flare. It stepped sideways as it attempted to follow her, but she thought… She clicked the flare, hearing the hiss as the flame began to show. The animal's eyes began to sparkle, as if transfixed by the flame. She stepped back, knowing she would have to run some more after it. She threw the flare off to the side, and the animal began walking after it. Okay, probably thirty seconds at most, she thought as she promptly ran off to the side, to the other incline. It wasn't as steep as she remembered it climbing down, but still it required a bit more effort then it had to go up. She had to carry the wrench too, but then again it was her only defense.

She felt fear put some strange energy into her legs as she made her way up the incline, knowing full well what would likely happen should she fall. There would be no second chances…none at all. She was almost at the top when she heard the crunching of the gravel behind her. That was way too close for her liking she thought. She made it to the top now, where she had been before. A quick glance confirmed her fears, that the big bird was still following her… There really was no other way, she thought as she looked out trying to think of where there was anything safe. Probably there was. And she knew where the others must have gone too… but it was her only chance. Feeling the wind blow her cap off her head, Karen ran down the path, hearing the gravel scrape against her shoes.

There it was, they had been so damn close to the safe house before the Pachys had interfered. It was frustrating too, because of how close it was. They would have been there in a minute or two…An irony she supposed that could be calculated to dumb luck or fate, or one of the many such things that served to mess things up time and again every time. Probably it was both, she supposed even as she turned the corner, encountering no animals, but hearing the crunch of the animal following her. She could see footprints in the dust, two sets of them, That would be Levine and the other, she suspected the stranger was probably carrying Levine.

She remembered it was partly down this right turn, and yes she could see it. There was something she could see, a kickup of dust. There it was, the safehouse so close to it, and so far. There they were two figures…one opening the door and the other stumbling through it. No time at all, she knew, but the incline down it was steep, and she was already out of breath. The road down to the Bunker was curved, and she kenw that with how fast the bird was, it would be on her before she got down… There was only one way, but she knew it wouldn't be easy. She turned, and saw the strange animal advancing. One last ray of hope dawned on her, she reached her belt, took out the small device out of it, and pointed it at the advancing creature, and it was shrieking at her.

She pressed the button, but it kept advancing. Her eyes widened as she realized it wasn't working. It confirmed what she had suspected- that it was not an animal that was part of the park. She stepped back, too shocked for words…part of her had been hoping it might have been some new thing that Rossiter had introduced but failed to tell her about. But this was different. So different indeed, that she was scared. So scared… she felt that she was powerless, even with the wrench in her hand. The big bird lunged again, and she slammed the wrench down on its beak, and it clanged off, and the animal shook its head roughly, biting down on the tool. It was ripped out of her hand, and she stepped back, feeling herself lose her balance.

She considered jumping, but part of her wondered whether she could. But there was a sudden pain, and she looked back and saw a flash of the scaly leg in the claw, and there was a spray of blood. There were horrible scars on her arms, and the damage didn't immediately register, but she felt herself grow faint. Stepping back, there was another shriek from the bird. But then she fell backwards, and landed on her side. Right on the incline…and she felt herself tumble down the incline, rolling along at an accelerated pace for what seemed forever…the harsh boulders hitting her open wounds and causing her to cry out. She was in pain…so much pain really, that even after the ten seconds it took to roll to the bottom she was not even strong enough to lift herself up. It was too painful, and she looked up, and saw the two men seemingly surprised.

The bird squawked again from the top of the incline, and they looked up. The door was open, but Karen knew that if they really wanted to, they could close it on her before she could even crawl. That was taking into account that the bird didn't get her before then. "Please…" She managed to gasp out, her nails digging into the gravel, trying to push herself forward. It came into her mind that she didn't want to die… not here, especially when she could see safety right in front of her. She really was desperate…and knew that she couldn't afford to be picky where help came from in this moment. The door was close, couldn't be more then really ten feet away. If she could get in, she would be safe.

She could see the stranger holding the gun, and she closed her eyes, as she heard a gunshot. But she was still alive a second later, and she realized something when she heard the shriek of the bird, but a bit further into the distance. Scared off. For now. She could see Levine stumbling forward now too, him and the stranger picking up up, and the door slammed behind them as they were finally in the Bunker. She blacked out, too exhausted from running and her wounds to even think or care anymore. She just wanted to rest.


	22. Quantum Flux

Finn looked up at Levine, sitting down on the bed in the bunker shaking his head. Already a few hours had passed since they had gotten the woman-Levine's former captor apparently onto the table and tried to patch her up as best as they could. So much at least that they could do with the first aid kit they had found. But for now, that was the best they could do really… and he knew it wasn't enough. Just looking at her, they needed to get her to a hospital. Or she would bleed to death, or maybe go into a coma from the blood loss. He knew her wounds were pretty horrific just looking at them.

But he was no expert; there was little he could do. He rubbed his head, trying to get rid of that sense of anxiety he felt, being in this strange place. He had signed up to chase anamolies, and found a lot more then he had expected really. Much more. This thing was deeper then he had expected, although on the face of it he had known that these were not prehistoric survivors he had been chasing. But they were here nonetheless, and some parts of the puzzle that he had been trying to put together seemed to fall into place. He looked over at Levine, who was still wrapping bandages around the woman, and then back at the dresser drawer, where he had put the gun.

No use for it now, as Levine assured him that the bunker had been built to last, as a sort of safe house. But then later a strange imprisonment for him for weeks on end… That really bugged him on that note, especially the man's convusions after he had passed these strange pylons. It was connected, and Levine seemed to know, but hadn't chosen to share it with him. But he had mentioned Muldoon's name, and that had seemed to ease his wariness immediately, and he wondered if they knew each other. Any more information would be greatly needed, and he saw that Levine had finished the bandages and was now approaching him with a binder. It had 'speciest list' on it, and Finn seemed intrigued.

"Found our mystery animal?" He asked, as Levine sat down next to him, and started to flip through the pages. He noticed immediately while looking through the index that none of these names corresponded with any of the anomalies. He had not mentioned that part to Levine, and he was still unsure of when to mention that, especially as he had no evidence yet…But some of these names were intriguing to him already, and he could remember having passed some of them in that book he had originally used to figure out what the anomalies were. It dawned on him that these were dinosaurs, not smaller ones like he had been chasing, but larger, bigger individuals including the ones that had approached the car, or that huge thing that had chased him…

The one they passed, he recognized the name of the animal, Pachy-something he didn't catch the name, but it seemed that they were being classified according to 'Zones". Almost as if that was code for something, but he had a feeling he was missing all the references or something. He shook his head again as the man continued down the line, but stopped him at one particular page. "No way," he said shaking his head in disbelief as he looked down at the last page. There was a color photograph of an animal he had seen only in pictures up till now, but it was obscured by trees, but he could tell it was a large animal. It's massive bulk was barely visible, but there was a tag on the picture saying 'Rex-best picture'.

But before he could get a good look, Levine slammed the book shut and tossed it on the bed. "Its not there," he said shaking his head as well. "I've looked over this book for hours hoping that it would be there, and it's not…" He looked at Finn, almost curious really. Well that was understandable; Finn understood that he was the unknown in this situation, the piece that didn't fit according to Levine. And he had a feeling that he better start trying to get him to understand. But knowing that this bird thing wasn't in the bestiary of this place really was one of the more important pieces of information to Finn, something that tied things together. He patted his pockets, thinking it should still be there.

He found it quickly, and pulled the feather out, clearly ripped and torn, but you could still make out what it was supposed to be. Levine's eyes immediately gravitated towards the feather, and Finn could tell. That animal back there was his only real key to understanding what role the Anomalies might play in this. He played it back in his mind, the bird thing that they had seen. It didn't make sense, but in a way it did. He had tracked that thing over quite a fair distance he realized, all the way across the country. And the ultimate place he had found it was here, even though all signs were pointing here, he still had not believed it. But the evidence of his sense was impossible to ignore, and he could not hold off any longer.

He held out the feather to the other man, and sighed. "I had an encounter with…something a long time ago, and ever since then, I have been devoting my life trying to see what that was." He watched Levine's face, studying it to see if there was any change in his features so far. There were none yet, but he continued, his gaze level, as he knew he must continue. "I found something unexplained. An anomaly, that defied everything I thought I knew about the world. And it nearly took my discovery to my grave too," he said. He remembered his assistant that time had not been nearly so lucky, and had paid the price for it really, which he knew might be the case as well with them. At least if they couldn't find a way to get some form of assistance and soon.

The other man took his feather, tilting his glasses slightly as he took a better look at the feather. "I got that from a beach resort near Acapulco," he said watching the man's face, seeing the man's eyes light up with surprise. Yeah, he got his attention all right he would say clearly. "Not just this, but some other anamolies I've been chasing for quite some time…" He thought back to several of the ones he had tracked down by himself, which had not been easy to find by a long shot. "They were puzzle pieces that didn't fit, I have found several…from Costa Rica up to here. The furthest north I've found them…" The other man's eyes were wide, and he thought it was time to say what had led him here.

"Eventually I met a man, Robert Muldoon who was interested in my hunt. He joined me in my quest, and it turned out he had one of them already-an anomaly." He knew that animal must be in this park by now somewhere roaming free, and if what Levine had told him was any indication, it now meant at least two of these animals could not be constrained by fences or by the sonic leashes. "But we found something. Our anomalies were traveling in some general direction." Well that was not the entire story, but close enough. "Some stayed in little niches along the way, small populations here and there, but there always seemed to be some more that would move along, as if they needed to be somewhere."

That was as good a story as he could think of, and it was true. He looked at the man, who had just pushed the binder to the side. In truth, he wondered what Levine would even begin to make of this. "The vaning on this feather, I've only seen it in fossilized impressions," Levine started muttering, and that made him turn his head. "The genera I don't specialize in, but there was a man I worked with once, Roxton his name was… he called me over thinking he had some undiscovered species of Whooping Crane, but he didn't know what he really had. Proper name would be _Gastornis Giganticus_, but you would probably recognize it better under a different name." Finn didn't really care, but it seemed that Levine was onto something. He seemed lost in thought.

"The coloration on the vane matches the animal we saw over on the ledge, I'd say that right now." He stood up, and looked around. "You'd know the animal as Diatryma in average layman speak. They call it a terror bird. Popular parlance…at the most it would have hunted small mammals, equines possibly." He looked around again at the window. "But here its diet has to be a bit different then what its used to…I can imagine… you say you first found this thing in Acapulco?" He took a breath, trying to figure it out now that they were connecting the piece of the puzzle. "This is bad… this is really unexpected." He looked over at the woman, now sure of things. Ingen had been a lot more sneaky then he had thought. But it also brought up another thought…about this place. What was it the man had said about his quest…

In Levine's mind, that brought up one thing, he thought even as he turned away from the man to get a drink from the refrigerator. That this whole story portended more things then it seemed on the surface, and that it was most likely his problem, or going to be. Migration…that seemed to be what he was saying. And he knew by looking over that binder for weeks on end what sort of animals were here. "Of course," he said tossing Finn a beer from the fridge. "Your animal's paths were not random, none of them were."the pieces were all there, it had only needed someone to try and connect the dots, where they had not been placed. But to connect them, you needed to know of a place like this, which was a secret hidden from everyone.

Until now that is, and he knew that this determination that he had made right now was vitally important, not only for them, but in determining what might be the right path. "I mean, these animals didn't just show up here over night… Your terror bird you were hunting may have been a more recent one, but in migration the largest animals tend to come last." Levine looked out the window, as he noticed that it was starting to get late. How many times had he stared out that window in the daytime, he recognized, observing the animals that passed by. But not once had he bothered in the night-time, figuring that the lack of visibility would make it a hopeless cause. But now, he realized maybe he should have been made more aware of this possibility that was increasingly intruding on him.

He didn't think anyone was watching the park at night either, which was probably when any intruders would most likely come in. Something ran through his head again, as he turned and grabbed a flashlight off of a nearby desk. He gestured to Finn to come closer, as he shone the beam outside. If there was anything there, he might see. There was nothing so far, that he could see, but that was expected. But still, he looked around, thinking. The bird had not even attempted to go down the road leading to the bunker…which signaled something to him. He remembered a similar situation then, a long time ago. Back in Sorna to be honest, stuck in a convenience store, thinking that he was safe along with Thorne, Malcolm and the kids that he recalled. But it had only been temporary, he had thought at least back then. Now, he was on a timetable, the woman needed medical treatment, which meant they needed to get the attention of the control room or whoever was watching this place, he believed.

But he had searched around, and there was no radio in here, he recalled from his many searches of this room, really wondering if he would find anything useful. He doubted it very much, because they had been far too thorough with making sure that he would not escape, he believed. Yes, they had thought of everything hadn't they? But the truth was, they could not afford to wait until daylight, and although he could not see anything out there, something kept nagging in the back of his head. Why didn't that damn bird come down and attempt to pursue them? The memory from that time made him remember… but also made him concerned. There were only two of them, well two and a half because the woman was still out cold, or very nearly so, he reckoned.

"We need to get the attention of the control tonight," he said to Finn, leaning against the door. "You said Muldoon is out there…and still have not heard from him?" That was incredibly worrying, at least to him, he thought. Muldoon was more then capable of taking care of himself as he had seen in Ismaloya. However, his concern was that Finn had entered with the man then lost contact. Had Muldoon been captured by security? He thought if that was so, then perhaps he had been subjected to the same thing that they had done to him here? He turned to look at the woman, still out of it from her wounds. He was feeling mixed really, since he had to save her, and yet he knew she had been partly playing him for a fool. He had known that she was with Biosyn, but part of him had only trusted her because he thought he had no other choice. But then he'd discovered that they had implanated the same sonic chip in him that held the dinosaurs at bay…meaning he was a prisoner here in the truest sense of the word. He felt violated, and was frustrated beyond words.

What he needed to do then, was…. He stared down at his arm, an idea forming. He had not had a chance to survey the whole area, but he had a rough map of the place in the binder, which he flipped open now. The bunker was in the middle of a depression, in which the dirt road was one of the ways out. However, not the only way out, as the designers had realized that it would have left the people here trapped. That was another thing racking his brain. The bunker had been meant to be a safe house-not a prison for him-that was only its secondary use after Biosyn had managed to get him into their clutches. But in that case… "Away from the window," Levine said as he stared back at the bed. The one place he would never think to look… and not just because it required two people to move.

Finn put the flashlight back on the drawer, and moved to the other side of the bed, where Levine had already grabbed the other end. No need for a countdown, both men already understood fundamentally what was required here. They were able to move it to the side, the bed creaking, but moving easily when pushed by two, when it would have been nearly impossible for one. It was out of the way, thankfully there was enough room in the bunker for that. Ignoring it now, Levine bent down to inspect the flooring. He thought back to the convenience store, back on Sorna. Well, there was no tunnel out of here, he believed but the main idea had to be somewhat similar. If people got stuck here in the Bunker, as he realized after ransacking this place the first few days of his captivity…

After all, it was a bunker. The emergency brochures and emergency medkits like the ones he had used to try to treat the woman had reassured him of this place's status as a safehouse. But without some way to contact control, a safehouse might simply be a deathtrap, where you would starve to death. Which meant, even if they had stripped away everything out here that would allow them to communicate, and even with the woman's radio lost…the designers of this place would still have some sort of contingency plan in place, he was certain of it. As he looked down, he nodded, tracing the outline of the floor with his finger, and he thought he saw something there too. Some panel…right there under the bed all this time.

With Finn's help, he managed to pry it open with the aid of the edge of the binder that he had earlier placed on the bed. The edge helped to lift it up just barely enough so that he could see what was underneath. It made sense, he thought as he looked that there was a mass of wires tangling around each other. He could not make sense of it, but this made sense now, as he picked up a wire, observing how it went towards the wall. It was thicker then the other wires, and it was connected to some kind of box, but without visible controls. He stood up, realizing what it was. But there was no way to notify anyone without going… "It's outside. The console box is outside." He said, looking outside, aware that it was already getting dark.

"I'll go with you-" Finn started as he got up, and picked up the flashlight. Levine held out his palm to indicate that he did not require that sort of assistance. However, he took the flashlight from the man. It would be too dangerous. "I'll just check on her condition I guess then…" Finn muttered as he walked over to the woman, looking over the medkit and looking over her just to make sure that there was nothing more needed. Meanwhile, Levine looked back, taking the flashlight in his hand and checking to make sure it worked. He was still unsure as he opened the door, seeing only blackness, but then deciding to go anyway. Hopefully it wouldn't be that far.

He had no weapons, so he walked cautiously in the dark as he took the flashlight and scanned the area. There seemed to be their own tracks, he could see leading down to the entrance, then he turned right, and carefully followed the contours of the building in the darkness. He scanned his surroundings again, careful not to leave the area. He'd remembered what Thorne had told him about his near miss while trying to check for gas. The same principle applied here, although here he was unsure of fundamentally if there really was anything out here. Listening to the anamolies Finn had described made him on edge. It was an extension of what he had seen in Costa Rica, only on an expanded level. It made more sense to him, even as he heard the lowing of an animal in the distance.

He remembered seeing from the window that there was a rather steep drop that led to a rocky plain. It was possible the Styracosaurs were down there somewhere. He wasn't too worried about them, they wouldn't be able to get the incline or past it. As he continued walking, he kept one hand on the edge of the building, thinking that before had never really gotten to see what was behind here. The building was not that long, and so he managed to reach the back easily. However, he made sure to keep his back to the wall, just in case that Terror bird should return. But he had an idea that it would not. He could not place the source of the certainty, only that It was a feeling he was having. He shook his head, figuring he probably needed a lot more then that.

As he turned, he swept his flaslight in a ninety degree arc, trying to take in his surroundings. There was a box on the outside, he could see, and it did not appear to be locked. Probably what he was looking for, if he guessed right actually. There seemed to be scrub and dirt, but it was pretty flat out here, there were some low lying shrubs as well… He frowned as he saw that the ground was not undisturbed, at the least there appeared to be impressions of some sort. Again, he could not tell from this distance, but they did not appear to be in any way shape or size similar to how the birds talons had appeared. Maybe that was just him, but he was doubting it right now. He was not about to go check, if that meant leaving himself vulnerable even for the briefest of moments.

Instead, he took another look at the box, and walked over. Opening it, he saw a series of switches, and tried to decipher the legend. He knew that whoever operated this thing must probably know what to do to send a proper signal, but there had been no such papers about it. However, he also knew that any signal sent, no matter if it was incorrect would be received by the security. So best be direct, he thought to himself. He pressed one of the switches that was labeled 'push to close', recognizing that it was set up in a way that people pressing buttons randomly wouldn't send a signal accidently. But there as another button that had 'sgnl 1', 'sgnl 2' and so on. It was pretty straightforward, or so he believed. It needed to be, after all. Lucky him, he thought sardonically as he took the flashlight and held it with one hand, as he began tapping buttons, trying to see which one…

There was a dull light, he could see that would probably be activated once a switch was pressed. That was probably the indicator that there was radio contact or that a message got through. He fiddled some more, still nervous about being out here alone, and after a few minutes found the switch that activated the light. So that meant they were receiving. The signal buttons were most obvious, he thought as he input the sign for morse code S.O.S. through them. Hopefully they would get the message, and after he sent it, the indicator light flashed, which he took to hopefully be a sign that they had gotten it. That was good, he didn't want to spend longer out here then he had too. He closed the panel, satisfied that a message had gone out, and turned around, sweeping his flashlight.

He frowned, there actually was a short incline up behind him but it was not that steep and was covered with overgrown brush. Too thick for something even like the_Pachylephosaurs_ to get through, but he supposed that might have been the intent of the planners. But as he looked, he could see something that un-nerved him. There were several pairs of green lights facing him, and he blinked before realizing they wre about two feet above the ground. He shone his flashlight in that direction quickly, and it revealed the forms of the animals. The first thing he saw was their green skin, which made him tense up for a second, before he realized it wasn't the correct height.

But these things had been watching him, although he knew very well what they were, even as they hopped along the embankment, watching him. _Procompsognathus Triassicus_, he remembered. He'd seen them first on Sorna, then later in Costa Rica for the briefest of moments. It seemed to him that they had managed to get this far north, and as he carefully moved to the side, he knew that they were watching him. Maybe just to see what he would do, but all the same he knew from their behaviors on Sorna that they might not go after an adult unless they appeared weak or frightened. He was careful to appear calm and collected, as he tried to assess how many of them there were. As his flashlight beam passed them, they seemed to shrink from the light.

That was odd. Perhaps this place made their feeding patterns change to nocturnal then? Very possible, because he knew that these animals essentially ate shit. Here there were a large variety of animals that would produce that in large quanities-however during the day there were likely too many patrols or cars around the place. Far too noisy for any scavenger like they were. It was only a theory though, which he'd made up in the midst of all this. But their size meant that they could easily slip in and out of underbrush probably, and evade detection after all this time. It was a perfect place for Compys, he knew. A little too perfect as he tried to count the individuals. At least half a dozen, maybe more. And a small part of him knew that this probably wasn't the only pack here, given the size of the park.

But as he watched, a few of them began to hop up and down as the light beam shone on them. He could see their form better now, yes, definitely compys. They did not look malnurioushed either, although he knew it must have been a long journey from Costa Rica. Some looked adult too, and still well fed, so if they were invasive-they had not only survived, but thrived. These animals were particularly well adapted-almost analogous to Coyotes he would say… Probably the one breed that would never be exterminated completely. Seeing the Compys up here brought him to mind of that fact. As long as these Procompsognathus remained, dinosaurs would not be extinct; here were Finn's anomalies he had spoken of. Just like the _Gastornis_, these animals had also migrated…up to here.

But Levine was shaken out of these reflections as he saw the pack was beginning to hop down the incline. He must still have some blood on his hands from treating the woman, he realized. Which also meant that they couldn't move the woman out of the house, he thought. But he had little time to think as he continued to back up, until he was directly up against the wall. Five or six of them, it seemed he was larger, but they gave him the creeps. Like they were not scared at all. He walked backwards slowly as he turned the corner, watching the Procompsonathus following him. He did not keep his eyes off of them, nor did he turn his back. Something seemed very off about the way they were acting.

He didn't like it…not one bit. He was halfway there, and they were still following him. Oh well, he could see the light from the window, and he gestured towards the door as he passed. Finn could see him from the window he hoped, and could be there at the door. But he couldn't take his eyes off the animals, as he kept the beam trained on them. His other hand trailed behind him as he made sure that he would not go too far back. But something troubled him, even as he made his way around the next corner, watching them follow him as he knocked on the door. Something seriously wrong that he had not considered at all. These animals…were not the sort to drive a predator out of its territory. No, that would require something… bigger.

That realization occurred just as he became aware of a scraping noise above him. Acting on instinct, he dove for the door, just as a loud thump resounded directly where he had been standing a few seconds ago. Not bothering to look behind him, the compys were agitated as they started chirping. Levine had a good idea of what it was, as he banged on the door with the flashlight. The handle turned, seeming so slowly, and as Levine grabbed the handlebar, he pushed himself in without looking back. He was quick, but not quick enough. There was a pain suddenly in his shoulder, but he just barreled forward into the room. As his head slumped forward as he hit the floor, he could see the outline of a shadowy figure and a reptilian maw lunging just as Finn put all his weight on the door. The door slammed shut, and there was a thud.

Levine sat up partly as both men watched silently as the door continued to thud, but the door held. The lock must be secure, he thought, after all it was a bunker probably meant to secure this kind of in hindsight was a relief. He heard the door groan again, satisfying himself that it would not give, before he turned to look at his shoulder. It ahd been so fast, but already his mind sort of knew what that must have been. There were three slashes across his shirt, and as he began to poke, he could already see the blood starting to pour out of the wound. He reached for the bandages as he knew this would take some more time. He was lucky it had been the forelimbs that the animal had wounded him with.

Turning to Finn, he heard the woman starting to awaken behind him as the chirping outside intensified. "I got the signal going, but I don't know if it reached the control room or not…" He winced as he began to tear apply gauze to his wound. "We're going nowhere fast believe me. Like it or not, we're trapped here until morning." He turned as he saw the woman attempting to sit up, still holding her arm and wincing in pain. "Believe me, they better send more then just one car…" He said shaking his head. This place was defended, he realized now, by something that would not give up that space easily or at all. They were trapped here, for better or worse. "I say we sit tight, I think there's some food in the fridge…at least until morning," he said. "As soon as its light, we make a move." They couldn't stay in here forever, and sooner or later they could try.


	23. Field of Nightmares

Muldoon grimaced as he sat in the blind waiting for something. He didn't quite know, but they were here in the dark staring at the dark form of the carcass, and he knew that he needed to remain calm for the moment. Right now, nothing was happening just yet, although he could see the stone faces of the guides as they sat there. Probably acting as backup, just in case that anything should happen that should diverge from the plan. And given the nature of their quarry, Muldoon had an idea that it might not be an idea hunt. It had been a few hours and they had no sign of anything, not even a sound.

But his eyes were not really focused on the carcass. That would never be where a predator would make its presence known…if you relied on that to make your identification, you were already well aware of each other by then. The key to this was making sure that you were the first person to be see it in all the phases of the approach. The stalk, followed by the low creep, the circle around…and then finally when it had finished scouting the location to be sure that no other carnivore was in the territory. Or even then, try to figure out what was possible to steal the kill from the other animal. This would be especially interesting with the fact that this animal was solitary-or at least it seemed to be.

But there was an air about today, certain stillness about the night that had him even more alert. It was quiet, very quiet. Almost too quiet if he knew what it was right now… The sense of thigns felt wrong, it just did. Like he should be anticipating something but… He felt the hairs on his knuckles and elsewhere tense as he saw they were straight up. Goosebumps all over his arm, and he thought of something. Something rather important at the least that he should be paying attention to…he couldn't quite place it as he thought because there was something about it. But he tensed up, his hunter's instinct took over.

The grass rustled in the night breeze, and he thought for a second they were rather exposed out here. Even though the blind was supposed to approximate the grass, there was still a feeling about it of being vulnerable somehow. He instead of paying attention to the others furrowed his brow, his intensity increasing as he took a breath, trying to tune the distractions out. He thought back to the wounds on the animal, and the state of the kill before the darkness had set. The kill had been pretty fresh from his experience and what he had seen. Which meant that whatever had killed it…plus the fact that there was no sign of the Carnotaur… Something was not right here.

The wind was running across the tips of the grass, and as it did so, Muldoon realized. The long grass was swaying in unison now, across an unending sea of grain. But it would be broken up…by the one thing that could shatter an illusion. He began to tense up again, eyes carefully watching the rest, even Tembo seemed oblivious to it. But he could do nothing, without even a weapon to defend himself… and he was waiting, for it…so much so that he was not even surprised, not in the least. He closed his eyes, taking a breath as he was ignored by the others at least for now, he might need it. And then, what he was half expecting came as sort of a relief. It was almost a soft whisper to his ears, against the night breeze. So soft….it was, barely noticeable. Just the slight ripping of fabric, straight down.

Just like something being torn. He turned around, and felt a breeze on his neck, but from behind. Yep, it was time to live dangerously, he thought as he held on to his hat. Barely a second passed before there was a sudden yell. It chilled his very bones, but he quickly turned to look before as there was a blur in the side of his vision. There was a grunt as he was shoved to the side, from the man's body falling over his, the guide desperately grasping for any handhold. But there was none to be found, since it was a tent pretty much. Before anything further- Muldoon swiveled around, along with the other three, just in time to see the man being dragged backwards into the night. The screaming continued for a few seconds after the man was gone, then there was silence.

Utter silence that you could hear a pin drop. He felt his blood run cold, as he turned to look at the others. Confusion, fear in their faces. Muldoon realized in that moment that he was the only one who knew what they were up against. But he wasn't thinking about that now… As he crouched down, he felt his hands close around something, a knife burrowed into the ground, a frantic last-ditch handhold by a man utterly panicked for his life. Cautiously, he took it out, knowing from the distant rustle of the grass that he did not have very long at all. Less then a minute probably, if he estimated correctly. Tembo and the two others had their guns out facing the exit where the man had been taken. But Muldoon knew that was a waste of time.

Even as he stabbed backwards into the fabric of the blind, he knew that the two options being presented were equally traps. Leaving via the exit would mean being taken instantly, but waiting here meant… He slashed horizontally, one strong movement of his arm being enough to tear through one portion of the blind and leave a flap hanging. Tearing down, he widened the hole, jumping backwards as soon as he was able to. Once he hit the ground, he did not stop but stumbled forward as he got up. The grass hissed in front of him as he felt the motion go through the long grass. Right in front of him, and he rolled to the side. Not a second too soon, as a large blur passed him, but he wasn't going to stand around to check.

One thing pressed in his mind, and that was the jeep. It was his only chance, although he supposed he would have to get lucky on that. But no time to think, it was fight or flight and he was badly outmatched in the arms race. As he peeked out over the tall grass, he could see several furrows snaking through the tall grass moving rapidly, converging on his position. Damn. He gripped the knife, eyes rapidly searching for a way out of here. There had to be one… But he ducked his head down, facing the direction of the jeep. If he could stay below the height of the grass he could be able to avoid direct detection… maybe. Worth a shot anyway, he thought as he began running softly towards the jeep. He could hear shouts behind him but did not look back. He knew that to do so would be to invite his own death.

He had to control his reaction, even as he ran from death. Because what he ran from could smell the fear on him, would use that to its advantage even as it stalked him. His only hope was that these that pursued would be viable distractions for now. But he kept on it, even as he ran. The jeep was ahead of him, and if he remembered right-the porter had put his Spas-12 in there, deeming it too much of a risk for him to carry it in the blind. Well, if he got to the jeep maybe he could make a stand, at the least buy himself some time. Not that much time, but get out of this place for now, cross a boundary and hopefully find some large herbivores. There was nothing he could do except run for now…

When the first porter had been taken, Tembo had remained still, but then aimed his rifle directly out. He was using his B. Searcy and Co. double rifle, not wanting to risk the chance of his Nitro 600 failing to take down the Carnotaur. Originally he'd intended to use it on the Rex, but this one had more stopping power. He waited for the large animal to attempt to attack again, even try to tear down the blind by ripping it off. That was how he expected an attack would go, since the animal had already initiated one now. The other porter to his sides were holding the Nitro 600, and the Spas-12 was back in the jeep, he believed. There was no need for three rifles to take down a predator, especially when all of them except Muldoon and himself had backup handguns.

The man's screams were tinny in the night, and then there was silence. He understood, they had only even noticed that because the man had made a commotion. Most predators, could sneak up and end your life with barely a whimper out of you. They got lucky this time, they could figure out which direction the animal was going to come from. The size of the animal didn't bother him, although he had seen a picture of it back in the control room. The bigger they were…the harder they fell. That was true for even many of the African game animals, the 'big five', they were nothing compared to the cunning of man and could easily be outclassed if enough preparation were put into it.

He signaled to them to spread out, but as he did so, suddenly there was a tearing noise, and Muldoon was jumping out of the blind. He was about to say something, but didn't. One of the porters made a motion to go after him, but Tembo shook his head. The predator would go after the lone person, and ignore them…maybe they could get a good shot. He turned around as he swivled his gun through the hole in the blind, hoping he could see something. But then he saw something else entirely, the sizzle of grass being parted, and his eyes widened. Long experience taught him to react on instinct, and he fell backwards, rolled and picked his gun up again, still aiming but walking backwards. The porters were up as well, the one with the Nitro backing out, and the other taking out his handgun.

They were out of the blind, but as they left, he noticed the blind collapsing on itself, almost as if there was some mass impacting with it. Turning to the others, he indicated that they should be headed for the jeep. He didn't like this, it seemed very quiet, almost too quiet really. This was not something he had planned on, nor did it seem like this could lead to any desirable outcome. He dId not let panic overtake him though, knowing panic was the enemy. But still, they walked in triangular formation, each covering the other. No sign of the quarry, and none of Muldoon either. A quick glance confirmed he was not at the jeep either. Which would do him little good anyway since the keys were with one of the porters.

The grass rustled around him, and it could really be mistaken for the wind. So much so, that he would normally have believed it to be the wind. Except that when he held his other hand up, there was only the barest of breezes… There was nothing to cause the disturbance…and there were ripples from the grass in different directions… He held the rifle up, knowing he would only get two shots. But maybe this was all he needed. "Keep moving." He grunted to the others, keeping formation as they began walking towards the jeep. Maybe they could make it after all… Maybe. That was the operating word here, one which never really worked out . He thought it could work, until the first attack came. Not from the front.

But from the side. There was a hiss, and something blocking the pale moonlight in the darkness, then he heard a yell, another one. Two men turned, as their guns trained on the sound. But instead of seeing a third, there was a large figure in the way. It reared up, and as Tembo saw, there was a sprawled figure below it, and the thump he recognized of a gun being dropped. "Don't move a muscle," he said as he leveled his gun, at the creature-whatever it was. Then it snarled, and one of its forelimbs was raised. There was a scream as it went sharply back down, and it stopped. Tembo aimed his rifle, but did not fire, still backing up. The animal leaped off of the fallen man, not even taking a bite. Then Tembo's eyes widened. He didn't know what this was, but it was something he had feared.

It was something that not oly could kill him, it wanted to kill him. There was nothing more to say or think, and even as the animal advanced, its features still too dull to be made out, he could hear the hissing of the grass around him. Two of the porters were already down, and he knew that unless he moved he would be next. It was only a distraction, the animal in front of him, so he gave the nod to the porter beside him. The Nitro roared once, and the animal slumped to the side, the moonlight revealing a scaly, reptilian apperance as the man-sized creature fell. "Run," he said as he held his gun in both hands, now seeing the grass part again in two separate rows where the animal had just fallen. There was a lot more of them. They were being hunted…

Knowing that if he stopped to ponder what type of animal this was, he would never know, he suddenly turned around, as he saw the jeep. The man next to him had the keys he remembered, which was why it was imperative that he stay alive. He made his way forward, not looking back as the grass sizzled around him. Whatever it was that was stalking him, he hoped that it would be satisfied with the body behind him. But something else told him that it would not, that this was an animal the like of which he had barely encountered before. It could toy with him all it wanted, because he was at a disadvantage. But dwelling too much on it would be just as bad, or he would be dead before he even got to the jeep.

He rushed through the grass, feeling adrenaline carry him, and the thump of the other man's boots beside him. It was fear that was carrying him, and like good hunters, their pursuers could smell it, and they were relentless. But then again, so could he be when on a hunt. And he was not known for giving up, not even in the face of overwhelming odds. He felt the spare shells rattle in the bag as he could see the jeep so close yet so far. And he knew…as soon as the grass started furrowing in front of him that he had little choice. He swiveled on his heel, covering the flank, while the other man covered the front. The parting grass was getting closer and closer, he saw and as he aimed the gun he could see that there were at least four or five different forms sizzling through the grass.

He checked-he had only two shells and probably would not have time to reload. There was a click, which told him the porter behind him was reloading, although still there would not be enough ammunition. Well, if this was going to be his last stand, at least he would make it a memorable one. He aimed the gun, ready for whatever might burst out of the grass. He held his breath, willing himself not to miss, at the least so he might take one of these bastards out with him. If he could do that, he might not take it so badly having to go down tonight. As long as he could know that he had gone down fighting…that was all that mattered.

There was a hiss from the grass in front of him, then around him as well and he felt the sweat running down his face. He didn't know what to do at all, he ws out of his element here, very much so. He leveled his aim again, as he waited for them to make their first appearance. There was a pause, a slight breeze in front of him, and he could feel that there was a sense…they could see it before the attack came, and in that moment he got an idea of what they were really up against. There were several dark shapes they could see all around them. He could see them, their dark shapes against the moonlight.

"At the count of three…" he continued as he got prepared to shoot. There were too many of them, even he could tell at the moment. If he was going to go down, he would try to take as many of the bastards with him. There were at least eight of them, he could see, four on his side, and he supposed that there would be the same on the other side. He heard snarls, and something else behind them as the noose on the trap was brought tighter. Well, this was good for a start at the least, he believed as he looked over at the figures as they suddenly bowed. Knowing the attack was imminent, he held tighter to his gun, as the first animal leaped.

But then there was a roar, and it was out of left field. The animal leaping was cut short as there was a blur at high speed, stopping right in front of them. Backing up, Tembo evaded just in time as the Jeep slammed into the animal, sending it sprawling. It stopped suddenly right in front of them, the engine still on. Around them the animals were snarling… The driver faced him, and Tembo saw it was Muldoon, yelling at him to get in. He could see no other alternative. It would surely be death to remain… Without thinking, Tembo ran to the jeep and jumped in, seeing the other porter alongside of him. "Hit the gas!" He called, knowing this was probably redundant as he felt the engine come to life as Muldoon pressed his feet to the pedal. As the car started to gain traction, he could see that it was clearly having to fight through some of the deeper sections of the grass.

The furrows in the gross began snaking their way towards his position, and his terror was extreme. Taking the gun, he put it down in the backseat, taking his handgun out. The porter in the backseat was still using the Nitro, but then again he could have a better vantage point. Tembo knew that he had to try to fend these creatures off, but it was difficult when he could barely see where they were coming from. There was another snarl, and he felt a thump behind him. Turning, the car was still going, but it had slowed somewhat. The car veered suddenly to the side, as Tembo turned around and saw what it was. The animal was on the hood of the car, and it was holding on tight, even as it snarled. By the light of the headlights, he could see it properly…

It was man-sized, it was yellow-brown with red stripes that reminded him for all the world of a tiger. It was hunched clinging onto the windshield with its fore-claws, and he could see it's footclaw struggling to climb over. The car was still going, but this creature was trying to get in…Tembo raised his handgun, prepared to shoot. The car swerved again, and it did not help that the guy in the backseat was shouting, and there were gunshots from behind him. But he could not afford to worry about what was going on there, when he was so preoccupied with what was going on right in front of him… He really could not worry at all, he realized. As he fired again, this time it hit the animal's side, but it just kept on coming.

It growled at him, swiping with its claws, but he ducked, it only managing to scrape his arm. He cried out, but didn't drop the gun, knowing that would mean all of their deaths most likely. Due to the animal blocking their way, he knew that no way of seeing what was ahead of him either, so he just kept ahold of himself. After all, if he were to make a mistake now, he did not need a reminder. Aiming again, he managed to get off a shot, this time grazing the animal on the side. It shrieked, its cry grating horribly against his ear. It lunged again, but the speed of the car and the erratic movement of the vehicle made it miss.

He aimed again, this time at its open maw as it lunged. This time there was no missing, and the animal slumped, and fell down across the hood. It blocked the view as its body slumped to the side and again as Muldoon tried to knock it off. It slumped down onto the hood, still not fully dead, but mewling something awful as it tried to cling on… It was shaking, and Tembo could see again. They must be far now, since he saw that they were almost out of the long grass. But they were heading towards the pylon section at a high speed now, very close. They weren't stopping either, and as he turned, he could hear a grunt behind him. Turning, there was another of them in the backseat, and the Porter was trying not very well to fight it. He looked down, and saw the man had wounds on his chest, the foot claw slashing again and again.

Tembo turned in his seat, aiming and shot. A side grazing shot, but enough to get the raptor's attention. It turned to face him, and leaped towards him. He shot again, this time getting it in the neck and it fell back. But by now he was out of bullets and he tossed the handgun out the side knowing he did not have ammo for it. The porter was standing up-and aiming the rifle at the raptor, but then the animal was up by now too, and it had the stock of the rifle in its mouth and was yanking. Tembo was yelling at the Porter to let it go, but the man was stubbornly trying to get it to move… And then they were past the long grass, past the pylons and Tembo could see the figures of the animals standing outside the grass, then slowly retreating back in. That left only the one here, and it seemed like it wasn't going …

They had nothing to fight with it…But then Muldoon was yelling to Tembo to take the wheel, and Tembo blinked for a second before Muldoon was out of the seat. A knife in his hand, Muldoon lunged at the raptor as Tembo frantically grabbed the wheel, and tried to steer. He couldn't quite get a good grip on where he was going, and looking in the rearview mirror he could see it looked like a struggle back there. But he couldn't pay attention to it exactly because there was something ahead of him that seemed that it might not belong… They had passed the pylon some time ago he realized and the animal was not affected by the pylon… He felt a cold sweat as even that wasn't going to save them…But this new area, there was no way to stop the car, because he was trying to press the brakes.

But as he tried to get it right, the figure in the distance was getting closer, he realized it was –running-. Before he had a chance to swerve, it was close enough, that it caught him by surprise. He had the barest sight of a large head, and three large…horns? Before it impacted with the jeep, he heard a groan and the Jeep flipped immediately, as the metal of the car groaned upon impact. Tembo felt himself flying through the air, hearing the snarls of the raptor, and then the shouts and yells of the remaining man and then Muldoon calling something… and then there was silence.


	24. The Great Divide

Muldoon opened his eyes with a groan. As he tried to get up. Immediately, he felt a sharp stinging in his elbow, and realized from the pain that it must be rubbed raw. Damn, it hurt though, he thought numbly as he looked down, and saw that he was face first in the grass. The breeze wafted in his face, and he realized his hat wasn't on his head anymore. Instinctively, he tried to get up, but hit his head on something. The seat, he realized looking up. Looking to the side, he could see the dashboard, but it was upside down, not how he had pictured it at all really. He tried to get up again, but was stopped, feeling pressure on his legs.

It was the other seat, he realized looking back, having to crane his neck in the tight space. He swiftly realized…that the car was overturned. Whatever had hit them had been big, and it had flipped. Only the space between the seats had saved him, he must have fallen back onto the floor at impact. But that did not explain the absence of the others, he couldn't hear any sound at all. Okay, he could but it did not sound human. There was a low outside, almost like cattle but the sound was familiar to him. Even across the span of years, and he knew that he was out of danger-for the moment at least. For now though, he had to focus on getting out of here.

That was going to be the top priority, getting himself free for the moment. Every other thing could be called secondary really, what mattered was not being trapped in here. He had enough space to turn himself halfway, as he tested how much of his legs he was going to be able to move. That was the thing he was worried about the most to be honest. He tried to move his leg up, and to the side. It was stuck, and fast. He tried the other leg, a bit more wiggle room. That gave him a bit more leverage now, that he would be able to get some sort of leeway here. He looked up, and grabbed the door, seeing it was locked would maybe give him something substantial to hold onto. He gripped it tightly, while trying to get a foothold with his other leg. He could feel it working a bit, it was budging.

Not nearly enough of course, but it was working. He just had to expend more concentration he knew. He grunted, feeling his leg scraping along the side, it was stuck somewhere between the dashboard and the collapsed seat… He could feel the scrape of metal against his leg, and grunted in exhaustion. The pain was real, and he knew that he had to try and get out. Gripping the door harder, Muldoon bent his elbows at a specific angle in which he hoped that he could get the best leverage. After all, this sort of thing, he did not wish to be outside for any longer then was absolutely necessary. After all, if the raptors decided to edge out of the long grass, he didn't know what was stopping him. And he could not tell how long it had been since the accident. Could have been minutes, but maybe hours.

He couldn't get outside to look…because his leg was stuck. And the longer he realized that, the more he struggled to pull himself free. If he was going to go down, it would be on his own terms, and not here on the ground…like a trapped animal. Hell, he was a trapped animal here, and to think otherwise would just be the highest form of self-delusion. He needed out, that much was obvious, and if he wanted to help himself the best thing probably would be to get moving. After all, there might not be anyone out there…and that thought sent his blood cold. Kicking out with his other leg, Robert Muldoon concentrated his effort into trying to twist his body. He could feel the edge giving way, and that was why he was pressing against the seat part, where it might give some. And also trying to slide his leg alongside. It was working, he could tell, but it was slow. And he had to move his foot sideways to even make it fit, and that was the trouble.

But it was working, and he chuckled as he shook his head, thinking he had it. But then he looked, seeing several shadows outside. Didn't look like human, but he could not tell. Not a therapod-like animal so there was thata at the very least. But he did not wish to st ay to try and find out, as he got a better grip with his other foot and pushed again. His other leg slid out slowly, but it was almost out now. Grunting, he got it out the whole way and panted in exhaustion. Hearing lowing noises outside, Muldoon scrambled on his hands and knees until he could see what the hell was happening outside. As he looked up, he could see that there were two men in front of him, both holding weapons. Tembo, and the other porter, both with large scrapes all over them. The porter was holding the SPAS-12, and Tembo was holding the B. Searcy and co. Looking around, the men did not respond to him, and Muldoon quickly saw why.

They were surrounded, and on all sides. He looked around pacing as he stepped in a circle trying to make sure of this. But it was undeniable…they were covered on all sides. There was no getting away from it now. At least, he could figure. The bulk of the animals were unmistakable, it was their sheer size that you never forgot. About ten or so of the animals, all around them, larger then the car at least he could figure. So far he could not understand what had happened, because the animals were not facing them. But one thing he could understand very well. That these were some of the most territorial animals from his experience… At least from when he had been in the park.

"How long they've been like this?" Muldoon asked curtly as he turned to face Tembo. No time to waste questions, they were clearly trapped, and he recognized this formation. The Trikes were forming a defensive circle, and they happened to be on the wrong side-inside of the circle. Any wrong reaction could set something off, he knew and that was not something he wanted to change. After all, he was fragile here and there were not enough weapons and their position was pretty bad he could well picture. He felt more nervous without a gun, figuring he must have gotten lost somehow in the crash. Not that the handgun would have done him much good he supposed after all.

"They were like this when I got up," the other man responded, as he held on to the gun tighter. "Tried to get near one of them, but there's no gaps in the circle. There's just none to be had." He shook his head, as if trying to think. And Muldoon could really see no gaps, so he wondered… after all there were no young out there, so there was something else, that they couldn't see or something he could tell. Whatever it was, he needed to find out. Probably soon, because there was one thing he couldn't bear it was not knowing what might await out there. He looked around, trying to get some sense of their location. There was only one place he could think of where he might get his bearings. There was one obvious place he thought…

Turning round, he looked back to the jeep, and it was overturned. Still it was the highest he could probablt get around here. No other way of getting that high, he thought as he made his way towards the wreck. The others were still looking nervously, and had no reason to stop him. After all, the car was in the middle of the ring. And was a bit far away from the action. So rather difficult to be suspicious of it, he believed as he clambered up the side of it, trying to get a good purchase. After all, he needed to make sure that he was all ready when he got to the top of this. It was going to be tricky, but he thought that he could handle it as he scrambled up, catching his balance as he stood up. He could see better now, and his view let him see over the triceratops, just barely because they really were massive animals. But he could see just a little bit, and that was enough for him to pause.

Beyond the large Trikes, he could see the long grass nearer to them then he had thought he would be. And there was a large animal standing at the edge of the grass he could see. It was staring at them, and at the trikes, shaking its head and stalking back and forth. He could recognize what it was, back from Ismaloya and the video feed…there was no doubt about it. No doubt about it in his mind. The Carnotaur…and it was unmistakably the same animal. It had to be really, and he felt the sense of primal terror as the thing roared, knowing that not only was he trapped, but that thing was waiting on the other side for him. Just taunting and daring him really to even try to get by, because without the car…

No, forget the damn car. Wait, it might be the key to the thing. Muldoon looked down, realizing it put him at a height advantage. Something was beginning to work in his head, it becoming clear what he should do. It really was clear, and right now, he had a plan. Yes, a plan for the first time in so long, and now the time had come to put it into action. Turning, he could see the two men in the middle, still holding the guns. No, they would have no hope of using them there, no hope at all. "Give me the shotgun!" he yelled to them, and was not amused to be met with their surprised reaction. Now was hardly the time to be surprised, but more a time for some sort of concrete action.

The porter looked like he was hesitant, but Tembo to his credit did not wait. The hunter walked up to the wreck, holding the B. Searcy, climbing the wreck partially. "Whatever you plan to do, make it quick…These things won't hold long.: Muldoon was grateful at the least that Tembo seemed to have a handle on the situation that they were in, and realize that this was not something that was easily solved, but rather that had to be tackled with finesse. He took the gun with a nod, and opened the barrel to ensure it was loaded. Two shells, which were all he was really going to need after all. He wasn't sure how many the other man had, but he nodded, indicating that yes he was going to make it quick.

Looking around, he took stock of where he was, and how to engage his position from where he was. Right now, it was possible that he was at the center of the circle, atop this heap. The trikes were not moving; they were too obsessed with the Carnotaur. Right now, they would work in his favor, he realized as he looked down the sights. Too far to aim at the predator, and at this distance it would most likely spread before it got anywhere close. But, he could do something equally damaging to it. There was one real way, but he looked back down at where the men were standing, before looking back up. Yep, no other way he could do this. He swallowed and shook his head to clear his mind.

Aiming down the sights, the Triceratops were incredible tense. But they didn't see him, and right now their solid formation would in a few seconds begin to work to his advantage. As he squeezed the trigger. As the report blasted back, and rang in his ears, he lowered the gun as the smoke cleared. But already he could hear the low moan along the ranks of the Trikes. It was affecting them, this noise that they were not used to hearing, especially inside of their ranks. He knew what it might mean, he had experience from Nublar before… And he steeled himself for what came next. Lowering the gun, he tossed it to the side, ignoring Tembo's angry shouts. But that did not matter, because even as it clattered to the floor, he could see the Triceratops already beginning to move.

Not moving a little, but a lot really and he could see them already kicking at the dust in agitation. The herd had been spooked, really spooked. He turned, and saw Tembo starting to move towards him. The man had enough brains to realize what was going to happen he realized. The porter was still standing, turning round and round as he aimed the gun at the animals. "No don-" Muldoon began to say as he heard the report of the second gunshot. Damn, he shook his head as the lowing deepened, and the pacing increased. The Carnotaur beyond the barrier of the animals stepped back, increasingly agitated, and starting to growl. It could tell that the Trikes were beginning to get agitated, and was looking for an exit.

Tembo began clambering up the pile just in time, just as the first of the large animals began moving. He grunted, hearing the motion of the earth shaking as several animals stepped out of formation, and turned around. Muldoon got a good grip on the frame of the undercarriage of the overturned vehicle, sensing that it was going to be bad. Already, the Triceratops were mostly facing one way, pacing again. It was tense, and he prepared himself…right now it was going to be one hell of a ride. The other porter was lining up the SPAS-12, aiming for another shot. Muldoon knew that was a bad idea, extremely bad… But as the sound of another shot rang out, the animals lowed, and railed forward. The charge had begun, and he saw the animals start to lower their frills as the kicking of dust abruptly stopped.

The Trikes began to move forward, and finally the porter made a run for it. A bit too late, Muldoon could see, even as Tembo climbed near him. The man was almost there, so close to reaching the pile-then he was gone. Muldoon had to blink, but right where he had been running, there was now an animal. He could see the tinny screams somewhere as there was a limp figure flying through the air. Then it fell back down-just as the rest of the animals began moving. There was barely a sound after that, just the drum of the hoofbeats. The animals moved past them like a rising tide, as the herd began to stampede. He held on tight, as he could feel the car beginning to be moved to the side, by the massive bulk of the animals. Tembo was holding too, and the size of these things…was incredibly apparent to him as he was pushed back and forth by their sheer weight.

He did not hold on a moment too soon, as the car was forcefully jerked to the side, spinning like some absurd top, he could well imagine how this must look like. And he was screaming too, and so was Tembo, their screams being noticeable in the stampede that was occurring, as they held on tightly for their lives here. Right now, it was a struggle to keep up right now. The car was almost listing to turn over again, only managing to stay one side because of the sheer bulk of the animals that were balancing each other out in some odd way as they went by on opposite sides. He tightened his grip, as he spun further out, but his eyes widening, as he realized where the animals were heading.

The Carnotaur was already running, he could no longer see it, but that did not seem to stop the tide of these animals, not caring that the pylons were right there, they kept their mad charge. If what Rossiter had told him was true… then…he had no time to ponder, because the overturned car was still spinning. He could no more stop the momentum of these animals then he could a force of nature. The first few animals were already there practically, and he steeled himself as they began their inexorable march. They passed the mark, and as they did so, he could hear a low moan at first. Then there was a loud crack, like lightening coming down from up above, it sounded like the judgment of God. Terrible but unstoppable at the same time…it really was. The sound of ten animals crossing the fence at once, and then the sound of their pain…

Muldoon was dizzy still as the car was slowing, and he let loose his grip, falling but he could see the animals stopped as if they were paralyzed. There was a smell that reached him, almost like burning flesh. They were moaning in agony, he realized as he stared at them, and he could almost see the sparks flying between the two barriers. But then the first Trike stepped forward, seeming to take a colossal effort to do so. But it did, and after what seemed like the longest pause ever…so did the rest. The rest followed, he saw with a gasp as the sparks intensified in the gap between the two pylons. There was definitely something going on there, that was for damn sure, he could tell. If what he had been told was right…then this was bad.

The animals lowed again, and stepped forward, and this time the sparks were more visible, and he could see what appeared to be the control boxes on the pylons starting to fry. As he watched, the Pylon adjacent to it was also emitting sparks, and as he saw further down the line a distant flash, and another and another…his eyes widened, as he began to process it. What the hell was happening? He could not tell, it was too hard to tell…and he could feel the heat, god it was hot…the heat coming from that thing… He could feel it from here, he really could. He held up a hand, and the heat from that thing was nearly searing, and he could only imagine how it must feel to be near them, like being in a sauna. But from the inside out.

He stumbled again, falling nearly as the car stopped moving, and gradually lost momentum. Falling, he watched the Trikes moving past, and could see the fuse boxes…damn…he could barely look at them. It was like pouring water on a power circuit, that seemed to be how looking at it was like. Standing back, he ignored the scrape, and even the noise of Tembo behind him landing next to him, as he crawled forward. Getting to his feet, he could feel himself dizzy in half a dozen ways, but he shook his head, trying to regain his bearings. Nothing to be done about the animals, he figured that was a lost cause. They were gone now, the whole herd…but there was a new sound, crackling, and sputtering, coming from down the line. He stepped back, not wanting to get closer.

He hit something, and turning, saw that it was the body of the porter. The mangled body, he should say, it was barely recognizable as anything after that stampede. Several tons of force, it was like he had been run over by a mack truck several times over. Some distance away as the shotgun, his SPAS-12. Untouched miraculously, and Muldoon stumbled a bit as he bent over to pick it up. He checked the barrel, and the stock as well…seemed to be in good condition for now, six shells or so still, he knew that it would not hold up well against other predators but six shots was still a lot better then nothing. He loaded in two shells, and carefully propped the barrel back up. Turning back, he could see Tembo looking down, and picking up his shotgun, the . Seems he was loading it too, but no telling how many bullets he had either. He had a bad feeling, extremely bad, and certainly not helped at all by what was going on with the pylons. Call it gut intuition.

It was not supposed to happen, not at all. And they were on the wrong side of the grass; he imagined…he did not want to go through that again. However, it seemed they would have to take the long way around. But if that's what it took…however as he gripped his gun close, he could not help but wonder, even as he saw the trikes running off into the background…how secure was this place? Because the raptors were not on the list that Rossiter had shown them. And now… it seemed that not even barriers or pylons could prevent any animal from entering any area within this centre of the park. It had broken free, violently…life…found a way.


	25. Power

Howard Rossiter set the phone back down with a click as he sat back in his chair and sighed. Looking up at the ceiling at his office for a brief moment, he rubbed his brow in exasperation. Shaking his head, he took a deep breath, really forced himself to. It really was frustrating, it was. He could feel himself growing impatient, even tense but not quite. Not tense yet. There was still time. There was always time to get things right….and that he would. He would make sure that things were all right before this was over. Before the end of today. And then there would be no more delays, none to interfere in his design.

The monitor on his desk showed a map of the park, with each zone clearly defined. Against the south-west side, he could see that the defined area designating where the sonic fences were was flashing red. They were out of commission as far as his sensors were reading. There were dots scattered throughout the zone adjacent to it, the one containing the Carnotaur. He knew what these must be…these were the Triceratops exploring their newfound territory. There was also a scattered group of dots moving swiftly in Zone 4, and he knew it must be the Parasaurs scattering. Damn. This could be a problem, he thought as he considered the implications of this.  
Animals in Zones 1 and 5 were now overlapping…

If it were just the herbivores moving into another herbivore zone, that would not be a problem. He could just go out and get his security to herd them back in again. But he was faced with another issue as well…the Carnotaurus. Unlike the Rex in Zone 2, it was more difficult to track due to the fact that it was able to camouflage itself. He shook his head, thanking some stroke of luck that it had been a nearby grassland area that the Carnotaur could escape into and not Zone 2. First of all, it was a forest and so it would be almost impossible…second…he would rather his men not go into Zone 2. There was a reason that meal deliveries there were given via heli-drop these days.

But he had to go fix things in Zones 4 and 5, especially since he knew Tembo and his hunting party were still out there. That reminded him. They had lost communication with them a few hours ago, and they had never showed. He was worried, he knew as he picked the phone up again. A lot of things could have gone wrong. He knew how dangerous the Carnotaurus could be, and that was why he had taken extreme precautions in advising his security team… There was a chance Tembo may have underestimated the animal, but he doubted it. The man was an experienced hunter, and renowned. If he had not been assured by his research that Roland Tembo was the sort of hunter who could give his endorsement to the game park, he would never have extended the invitation. No, Tembo was his way into selling the park to the rich who would come here to take the trophies no one could take anymore, he knew.

If not Tembo then…."This is Mr. Rossiter," he said picking up the phone, dialing the control room. They would know more about the situation since all of the live feeds went into that room from the cameras. "I need the feeds from last night sent up to my office." He needed to review them, try to find out what had happened. "In addition, send the data about animal movements from last night in zones 4 and 5 to my office as well." It might provide a clue, maybe where to begin. "Five minutes? I can wait. But no longer," he said curtly as he hung up the phone and stood up. He stepped away from his desk, and looked out onto his office. He felt like he needed to walk around and stretch his legs, especially after everything.

"Where did things go wrong?" He asked himself under his breath as he shook his head again and looked down next to his desk. There was a low cage in the side of the office that stuck partially out. It appeared almost like a terrarium or Vivarium, but instead of a turtle or snake there was a small lizard-like creature inside. The Procompsognathus he had shown Tembo-cloned from the specimen recovered in Ismaloya. It had been easy to clone this creature, since unlike Hammond he was not attempting to recreate something long dead…but something that was still very fresh. It was a clone of a clone so to speak, and it was very much alive. He bent down, as the animal craned its neck to look at him, giving a soft and low chirping as it did so.

Rossiter sighed as he took a small bag out of an alcove alone the wall, and it was filled with small bits of cubed meat. His scientists had told him that this animal was carnivorous, but it ate dead things, so this should work for it. He reached for the top of the glass case very carefully, as the small animal leaped up as it so often did, trying to nip his fingers as he came close. He dropped the pellet inside, and closed it up, watching with slight disgust as the animal turned around, and began nipping at it. Well, he had to keep it fed, and here was the one place he could do it. Well, technically at the facility that they cloned the animals in, but here there was really no place to keep it.

The Compy would quickly be lost in the wilderness, even with it being secured to one zone. And the lab did not have space for it either, he figured…since they would be distracted by something like this. Curious too, Rossiter thought for a moment, forgetting for a second as he placed a hand on the glass. Instantly, the animal turned from the pellet, craning its neck to see where the disturbance was coming from. Even as he watched, it stared back at him as if there was no gulf in the millennia that separated them. And it was alone, he knew, with awe. There might be more of its kind still, he knew that. But they were deep in the Costa Rican jungles, far from civilization and no one would ever see them. And with luck, no one would ever suspect them of still existing, it was a secret he intended to keep.

Here, it had to be so far away…and where it was, it could not even have the free range of its fellows down there either. Fit only for one thing, he thought-being a trophy, a display. And it was proof for him that he could contain nature in a way that Hammond had tried and failed to do. Just as he held this animal in its cage, so also would these larger animals stay. No matter how screwed up things were in Zones 1 and 5 due to the Carnotaur were, he was sure that things would be all right. He had full control of the situation. So he thought as he took a breath, as the Compy suddenly jumped forward, stopped by the glass. Startled, Rossiter stepped back, but grinned to himself as the animal squealed in frustration. It was powerless, and he had the advantage. Right now, when things were starting to veer sideways, he had comfort, a small bit knowing he had the advantage.

He turned, ignoring the creature's shrill chirps as it leaped in agitation. Looking instead out of the window, he could see the grasss rolling in the breeze as there was a low rumble in the distance. There were clouds on the horizon, a storm coming in he saw. Should not be an issue, but he needed to be sure that things went to plan. A storm…he did not want his first visitors to report an unpleasant experience in the first hunt. They still had not reported back, and he needed to review the feeds of the tapes to find out what had happened. At least he wanted to before sending his staff out there, into the wild. It needed to stay as untamed as possible, his artificial wilderness…

The possibilities for him right now were seemingly limitless, and it felt like such a huge rush, just knowing that he was still in control, or some semblance of it. As long as he still could retrieve the hunters, everything was going to be okay. Even the setback involving the fence outages could be easily repaired, he believed and he truly believed they could. Right now, it was only a matter of sending a team in, corralling the animals that had overlapped, and then working on the fences before the dinosaurs could recover. It was a simple enough plan, but it would work, he thought as he tapped the glass semi-impatiently, really just feeling that he would prefer to have some of this complication out of his life…it seemed that there was quite enough sometimes. But other times…maybe not so much. Maybe it was just a hiccup, a small one to stir the pot before he had it made, at the least he hoped that it was so. Because he did not appreciate failure…and this had been an expensive experiment to say the least. Although if played off right he would make his money back and then a lot more.

And that was this was about really, making a lot of money. Enough to recoup his losses and potentially one day come out of the shadow of the semi-legal business he was dealing with here. He was not under any illusions as to why Hammond had decided to build his little zoo on an island the first time after all. It was convenient, and easy to hide, and it was in a country with very little regulation. That had resulted in increased freedom, which Rossiter had tried to emulate, although his experiment this time was much closer to the states. That was one of Hammond's errors in the long run, he had calculated…that the travel expenses would add up, to even more then the admission price. By making the trip shorter, he would thus cut down on the initative expense…and bring himself closer to his prospective audience.

He felt himself start to get distracted, and he was really being absorbed into his thoughts, as he noticed a slight red beeping that was slightly getting louder. That would be the phone, they got the feeds up probably. He turned and walked back to his desk, getting the feeds up as he settled himself again. He noticed the feeds were tagged 'urgent' but for some reason, it was still being processed. He frowned, it was only like that when the people down in security thought that there was something wrong with them or they were glitched in some way. Strange, there should not be anything wrong with these, he thought. They had been damned expensive to install, and he had made sure to get the best of the best and not waste any money. But the animal movements were here, and that should tell him what he needed to know, or at least he hoped it would. Clicking on it, he felt himself grow uneasy, almost as if he was on the brink of something. Odd, no reason for him to think that way, least of all now he thought to himself.  
As he scrolled through the animal movements, he saw that the animals outside of zones 4 and 5 had not changed in any way since the last checkup. At the least, their tags were still active and transmitting. That way he would know whether any of the animals died of natural causes or if any clients were to take any of them down if for any reason one of the radio tags was not active. Now zones 1 and 5…he took a look down and paused. The feed did not lie as it panned down near where the fence was, and he could see… There were two of them there, two large grey hulking bodies lying prone on the fence line unmoving. There were also visible wounds on each side of the animal, but it did not appear as if it was the immediate cause of death, these wounds could have been caused by the Carnotaur he knew.

And there was the Carnotaurus now, raising its head again staring at the camera defiantly. But it had not killed the two dead triceratops, Rossiter thought as he looked again, trying to figure it out. What could have possibly gotten them that way he wondered. That was annoying specifically because the trikes were meant to be one of the attractions that would help get people in here-they had the potential certainly to be one of the bigger trophies that they had to offer. So what had killed them? He wanted a damn answer as he panned the camera to the side and saw…the car on its side, dinged and scratched all over. It looked like it had been through a junkyard and then gone for another pass. What on earth had happened here….and then he saw the tire tracks very distinct…and the reason that they were so distinct. The grass all around and leading up to the car had been stamped flat.

He sat back in his chair, his hand on his chin thinking about it with deep breaths. What had happened here…the car had startled the trikes…and had started a stampede? It made sense now, somewhat. The animals charging through the fence at once, had been too much for the fence to handle, thus why the fence had shorted out. But for two of the Trikes, their sonic tags must have shorted out within them, caused a stress breakdown that might have induced some reaction in them, he wasn't sure. That was two trikes dead, but it could be worse, he thought before realizing…what that crumpled thing by the jeep was. It had something he could barely make out…he squinted as the camera panned in. What the hell…he thought as he clenched the edge of the desk, one hand reaching for the phone.

Ah shit. Ah shit shit shit. That was not…that was possibly the worst thing that could have happened on the first excursion into his little park, and yet it had happened. He shook his head in disbelief, really furious that it could have happened here. He was hoping it wasn't Tembo, because then there went his first chance at getting the word out. He had the phone to his ear, ready to call the men in…at least to get security there to get the Carnotaur away from the bodies at least until they could retrieve the corpse and figure out the cause of death and who it was. That would be best, he thought as he already began to dial the number for security. He was preoccupied with it, and he did not even notice when there was a pop up on his computer screen, and he noticed as if in a daze that it was the computer feeds from last night. He didn't know what to think as he clicked on it, and by now he was sort of tuning out the chirps of the compies from the other side of the room.

The screen was dark at first, but that was because it was from the camera closest to where Tembo's group had made their camp he As the camera refocused, he saw the tape was playing, and he could hear the vague dial tone of the phone in his ear as the playback rewound and it started. It began rather innocently enough, or relatively so he figured with the blind and the caracass plainly seen as well as the car nearby. He was wondering where it had gone wrong, what could have made them get in the car and looking for the outline of the Carnotaur before he realized that was not where he should be looking. No, he was looking at the exact wrong area, and when he saw it…his eyes widened in shock, and disbelief. It went against everything he had thought about his park.

Even as the video kept on playing, he was already dialing the number for security as fast as he could. "Get your damn asses in gear," he said, his voice just barely controlled with anger and confusion. It really was beyond unacceptable he thought as he shook his head, watching the proceedings on tape. He had no idea how the hell this had happened on his watch. But it would be fixed soon enough, and a full investigation committed to make sure that this would be resolved. He had no idea but he had it in mind that he would know. And when he knew, there would be hell to pay he was sure of that he was sure. If Muldoon could not stop him from opening this park on time, nothing else would. Not even additional dinosaurs that had appeared out of nowhere. They would be found, subdued and their origins traced. And then he would do what he did best.

Find out exactly how to use them in the park. At whatever cost.


	26. When Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth

Robert Muldoon found himself walking along the edge of the pylons traveling north, Tembo right behind him. They were following a jeep trail, away from the wreckage of their jeep. Both of them were experienced trackers and had immediately determined that there was a fresh jeep trail leading north…with another Jeep they could get out of here safely. He was unsure of his chance trying to get through to the main control room the opposite direction without a car, and after what had just happened, he did not feel at all like he wanted to chance it. Neither of them did, he felt.

The terrain here was marked very surely, he could see, on one end there was tall grass, on the other low savannah, and north he could see that there was a marked difference in terrain. There was the same low grass up ahead, but on the left side, he could see what looked like a large grove ahead, much larger then the isolated areas that he had seen in the other regions. It seemed to him that it was eerily quiet too, even quieter, no sound of birds other animals or anything…it really was just way too quiet. He did not like this, especially as he saw that there were sparks coming from each pylon they passed which meant most likely that there were no barriers to prevent individual animals from passing.

Right now, he had only seen herbivores as the majority of the inhabitant's, with the exception of the Carnotaur. However, the incursion of the Trikes into the Carnotaur territory would buy them some time in which to not be bothered as they moved. To be perfectly honest, he was more concerned about the raptors, and the fact that there was a substantial pack of them here. The Dilophosaur he was not afraid of since it was a loner and here in open country they would see it coming a while off. No, it was the raptors. Seems Finn had been right about the way these dinosaurs were migrating. But he could understand it. This place had a large population of large herbivores, which would attract these bastards from a mile away. He was concerned here, it was like a rat infestation, he thought.

Not his rat infestation though, he thought as he looked over to see Tembo also scanning the area with a trained hunters eye. But a rat infestation worth keeping track of for the moment. Not their entire population, obviously but he would estimate about five or six were here. Maybe more. Enough to cause trouble. The only thing that was rattling through his head was that he did not know where the hell these things might be hiding. Surely there were video cameras all around the park, so why they had not been picked up earlier he had no idea. But still it should be obvious unless there was some difference that the park staff would not understand, some way that they would never have figured out.

As they walked further up the jeep path, he could see that they were getting pretty close to the forest and the more he got close he was even more nervous. There was something off, about the way the trees were swaying in the wind. The way the grove was positioned in the area. He remembered the positioning of the areas from the control room, trying to remember what kind of animal had been in this could not actually remember if it had been brought up…But as he stepped in line, he readied his wits trying to think. Instinct told him to give the grove a wide berth…especially as he thought to himself something off about this. Or at least he was going to, as he looked up at the pylons beside them, and it said 'Zone 2', but thoughts fled him as he heard a shrieking.

Instinctively, he raised his SPAS-12, as a lone animal suddenly burst out of the forest. It was not that much taller then him, and seeing it upright he kept the gun up, hearing the bolt click on Tembo's… The dinosaur was running in their general direction, but it seemed panicked, something about the way it moved seemed off to him, with his practiced hunter's eye. This was not a charge of dominance, but of desperation, he realized as he lowered the rifle slightly, unsure of what he should do. The domed head…he thought that seemed familiar. Something long ago Wu had run by him just to see if he was okay with more dangerous herbivores. He'd said he'd have to wait and see at the time…

Muldoon seemed to be having an episode or something with the way he was not moving. Why had he not taken down the dinosaur by now? He could sense the animal was afraid, it should be easier to take down, although a shot would have to be more then precise. There was nothing more dangerous then a wounded animal, which was why he had always felt the thrill of the hunt lay with these animals that could kill you. African Lions, Leopards, elephants all gave thrills to that respect, but this was something else entirely. Here with dinosaurs walking among people, it presented a different sort of challenge, one entirely unknown to man so far. And he would be the first to experience it.  
He knew Muldoon often had passed on trophies, but had never known why. This was a perfectly good opportunity right here and he was not going to let it go to waste. He aimed down the sights, stepping to the side to make sure he was downwind. The thrill of the hunt…come to think of it…Rossiter had not filled him in on these smaller carnivores in the past zone. These would have been fun to hunt. And he fully intended to…once they got back, he would tell Rossiter he wanted to hunt them, something that was worthy of him. These animals had taken out two of his best porters, in rapid succession and that automatically made them worthy. With a proper team, and adequate preparation he could do it. Hunting the hunters…that would be a hunt worthy of telling.

"Stop…somethings wrong," Muldoon was saying, but Tembo barely registered him. He had the flank of the animal in his sights; it would only take a minute…. The dome-head was continuing to charge and the fear in his eyes was just right. As the perfet predator of the Savannah, he had it all lined up here, ready to take the shot. He came here to hunt so he should not waste the opportunity, especially when it was handed to him on a silver platter. He aimed, and fired, the crack resounding even now in his ears as the dome-head dropped. Standing up, he smiled, as he began walking. He heard Muldoon saying something "What have you done?" and he turned with a confused expression on his face and he knew.

The region around has been too quiet; it should have been a bustling hub of activity. There was only quiet…even to the report of the rifle. He stepped forward again his rifle trained on the dying animal as it gasped, but something in its eyes when he walked forward…it was not looking at him. Usually when he had a cornered animal, it tried anything it could do to attack the person who had injured it. This creature…was trying to get up…staggering. On two legs even with a gut shot, trying to get away. What on earth….then he raised his gun again, and he saw it. The utter desperation in this animal's eyes. Complete and utter desperation born out of pure fear that had not been borne in this earth for sixty-five million years. A second shot in the chamber, practiced…gun raised…but it all felt wrong, he thought even as he aimed at the animal's neck. Another shot, and the animal was down, letting out a dying cry before crashing to the ground. Yet it seemed louder then it was.

Because it was. He looked up, noticing that the forest in front of him…there was something very large in that grove…the trees were swaying, but it was not the wind, it was barely a small breeze but the trees were swaying enough that he should really be paying attention now, he thought to himself as he saw it. The dark forme that burst out of the trees, it enormous bulk taking his breath away at the majesty of it all. God it was huge, and exactly as he had dreamed of. He found himself loading the rifle now, dropping to one knee as he practiced downwind again, over the corpose of the Pachy, aiming at the monster. It was sniffing the air, its humungous head scraping the lower leaves as it moved. He should be scared out of his wits…but he wasn't.

This was the thrill of the hunt.

It must be forty feet long if it was an inch…damn the height of about two and a half men as well. Easily the biggest thing he had seen…there was a low growl in the air, as the large dinosaur stepped forward slowly, its steps measured…but each step seeming to shake the ground below them. He aimed down the sights…preparing to aim for the vitals, where he suspected they would be. He could imagine it already, that trophy above his mantle, the only one in the world. He would truly be the most renowned hunter in all of the world to take such a magnificent beast. It's beauty…it's lethality…it was every inch the perfect killer, he could see as the massive dinosaur sniffed, walking slowly to where the carcass of the Pachy was. The body was still twitching, now in its death spasms, and the animal was sniffing it…as if playing with a toy as he set his rifle right over it's heart

Muldoon froze completely once the Rex had come out of the trees. Damn…he had not expected this at all, how had they been crazy enough to do this? Back in Ismaloya it had taken everything they had just to kill one Carnotaur, but now here there was a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The King of the dinosaurs…dammit he knew how bad this situation was likely about to get because he had faced this animal before. On Nublar as he had stood his ground against it. This dinosaur fully deserved its designation as Tyrant King, and they had all learned the hard way why. For a split second as he saw it come out of the trees he had a flash back to the last time, living dangerously…

But that had been on a jeep with a four wheel drive. Now here it was open country, and that scared him. Now he knew why the Pachy had been so scared…it had been in utter fear of its life. The animals had been segregated here he guessed by the desperate nature of the Pachy. He had seen this on Nublar too, after the Rex had taken down a Parasaur, the other animals reactions were extremely far from the norm. That was why…he had not shot the Pachy, he had sensed the fear in its eyes, the utter fear. This was not the fear in the eyes of a rat when cornered, but of a deer that had sensed the presence of a big cat nearby. It had instinctively known it was utterly and completely outmatched and had done the only thing it could do. Run. And it had nearly made it, and they had nearly been safe.

Or so he had thought. When the gun went off, he knew it. So close, and yet so far. There was a reason he had passed on trophies, many reasons. He had passed on trophy Elephants before merely because he believed that the animal was in too vulnerable a position as he aimed. For it to be truly a contest, both parties must stand a chance at taking the other down. It was called hunting for a reason…tapping into that instinctual drive where you were either the hunted or the hunter. If it was one-sided…there was no joy or sport in that. Which was why he had felt nothing but disgust shooting that Gallimimus earlier. More like putting it out of its misery. Because that was what this place was. A canned hunt…it made him sick. However the pylons breaking evened the odds…not enough.

But hardly time to worry about that now. Because Tembo in his haste to earn his meaningless trophies…had just killed their one hope of survival. As the Rex walked slowly towards him, he began to aim with his rifle, knowing it was useless. He remembered it, attempting to take down the last Rex. And that had barely succeeded on any level, only managing to stop it temporarily after a period of some hours. Here? They were completely, and utterly dead. Unless they did something. Because if he knew one thing, as he saw the Rex sniffing the carcass…it was that Tyrannosaurs did not want to be fed. They wanted to hunt. Because they had that too, he was sure. How had they been feeding this thing? He thought as the Rex lifted its head.

Airdrops of meat from above? Trucks quickly backing in and out from the side? There was one thing for sure…the bastards had probably been too cheap to give it live meat…even on Nublar they had known better and given it goats. That was the thing. It had known nothing but dry meat. And now they had given it its first hunt by accident and ruined it. It had tasted the thrill of the hunt. And now it craved things that moved and bled. He knew it did, and his eyes widened as he saw Tembo ready to fire, knowing that it would end in disaster. These animals were not susceptible to an easy kill, even with a direct shot to the brain. And he knew something else about the thrill of the hunt. He had always, always known when to walk away, when something was an utter suicide march. Death defying was one thing, but this was complete and utter madness.

As the Rex sniffed the carcass, he knew the game was up. On Nublar Hammond had made a very special point to feed the Rexes goats. They could not chase it, but it was alive. It was something which life could be taken swiftly, effortlessly in these massive jaws. And in the face of the great beast, he knew as he looked in its eyes. It set up, now its gaze over the both of them. Pondering…and he knew. He was absolutely still, remembering Nublar. They had determined that the animal could not see you if you did not move. However…that was Nublar. Muldoon had no idea where the hell Biosyn had taken this one from. The second Island Levine had told him about? He had no idea what changes they may have made…

And he looked as Tembo was locking the bolt in place as he took aim, his eyes wide as he realized. The man was right next to him, but the Rex was about thirty or forty meters away. Right now…he assessed both of their guns. Neither would work, he thought to himself, and that was another thing about Hunting. You always made sure that you had the right weaponry for the given situation. They…did not. All Tembo's rifle would do…was piss the animal off. And in that situation a tense situation could turn deadly in a split second. He knew what he had to do…He was closer in this situation. And it was too late for him to run.

Unless…

He stepped forward. "Tembo," he said, as the man turned around.  
The butt of the Spas-12 knocked the man off to the side, the firing wide off-course. The man stumbled off to the side, but Muldoon did not give him any leeway. He let his anger at being captured fuel him as he tackled him to the ground. Their guns fell, each to the side as they struggled. The Rex roared, seeing them now no doubt at all whether they were there or not. Muldoon knew, but he could not bother with that…as he repeatedly punched Tembo to get him to stay down. The man grunted and fought and kicked…but Muldoon could not stay and fight him. He let himself be kicked off, grabbing his rifle, and kicking the other man's away as he saw the Rex approach. Tembo's eyes locked with his as he attempted to get up.

Muldoon did not look back. He just ran, making for the exit as fast as he could. The Sonic fences in this side should still be working, he believed it was just the fences on the Triceratops side of the boundary that were not. In any event, he knew that if he moved away, he would not be pursued. Because in his experience, Rexes tended to be very territory dominant, especially if kept in a confined area for this long. He needed to reach the pylons, as he headed towards the road, just beyond the sonic fences. He was so close, as he heard the Rex roar behind him. The roar that would never leave him, never. Because he had done something now. Not a matter of being faster then the lion. Just faster then the next guy. Two people die, or one lives. So he did not think, he just ran and left his guilt behind.

Tembo grunted as he got up, grabbing the rifle. Damn Muldoon…what the hell was he doing? His first thought as he felt himself be punched, was that Muldoon intended to steal his kill. He had managed to get him off, only to see him running away. What the hell he thought as he turned around, and aimed his rifle. The Rex was bearing down on him, the element of surprise lost. He aimed down the sites and fired the shot perfectly landing right where the vitals were. It was no use, it was like a freight train…and as he readied his second he understood in that moment. He fired again, he had a second shot and aimed right at the head in a moment of desperation. A clean hit…he could see that there was even a small dribble of blood dripping from the base of the skull…

And now he knew why Muldoon had ran. Because the Rex was still coming. Dropping the gun, Tembo began to run. He ran with a desperate fury but the Rex was faster. It had been playing with him before, he realized, since now it easily caught up to him in ten seconds. There was a brief thud, as the Rex shook its massive head, sending his body flying some yards. He landed face first on the ground, trying to get up. Then he was up, but not quite, and he realized what was happening as if in a daze. The Rex had his legs in its jaws, nearly severed now, only kept intact by the fact that the teeth were keeping them together. He flew through the air as he was released for a split second…flipping over in midair as the massive maw clamped down on his body


	27. Discovery

Finn yawned as he stretched his legs, getting up from the chair. They had been in the bunker for a few hours now…and he was getting antsy. He had taken a short nap, since it didn't seem like it was safe, but now he was sure that it should be… He turned around, seeing that the others seemed to be up as well. Levine was still there, staring out the window absently eating from a bag of chips. The woman was sitting on the edge of the bed, just staring at the wall it seemed, her arm dangling by her side as she was breathing slowly. It had been a rough day for all of them, and he could understand why everyone was still in here. After what they had seen…it made sense to lie low, gather some breath.

Because what was out there made him pause, even before speaking. He had seen it, in the brief instant when the door had shut. He had no doubt about it…he had seen that before. It was the same animal that had gotten him interested, that he'd seen in that sewer so long ago…and it was here now, he knew it. This animal…dinosaur…was the one he felt, the only one so far that he'd been able to trace all the way from Puntarenas to here in Northern Mexico. That was a hell of a way for it to come, he knew. But now that he had seen it…he knew. He knew with all his heart, that here was a place where there were many factors colliding. These were not mere coincidence, but it fit perfectly with what he had been studying for years.

He looked over at Levine, at the gauze on his shoulder still red with blood from the gash. Thinking over at what he had said about seeing the Compys back there. Again, that was another anomaly that was here that really shouldn't be. Which brought the tally here to three. Three anamolous dinosaurs that he was sure had not been created in whatever this place was. Levine had tried to explain it to him, and he wasn't half sure he got it. But the point was, that these three had not been created by these Biosyn people. And yet they were all here. Compy, Raptor, Gastornis…what was their connection? He thought as he stood up. There had to be some reason why all of these different animals had come here. How many of these animals were even here, was also another question but he did not think that may be answered. Still, it seemed like time to break an uncomfortable silence.

There was still the jeep he realized, it was not that far away. If they could just get to the jeep, they may be able to make their escape from this place. Of course, they would have to retrieve Muldoon, but he imagined that Muldoon was not the sort of man to let himself be captured or put into a situation he was not able to get out of. Recovery should be easy, but it was now time to go and convince Levine, which should be another simple matter he thought as he got up off the chair and stood up. Walking over to where Levine was, he nodded his head ready to talk.. The man put aside the chips and both of them moved off to the side, out of range of the woman's hearing or so they supposed.

"If we make a break for the car now, I think we can make it," He said seeing Levine's face suddenly troubled. Made sense, he was worried about a lot of things. And he had been held here for a while, and was surely anxious to leave. "Don't worry, if we have the gun this time the raptor won't pose as much of a threat." He knew there was much more human threats then the anamolies though, and he cleared his throat, indicating the woman on the cot. "I wouldn't worry, she is safe here, and after the radio signal, they will check the bunker and retrieve her. Get her some medical help with that arm." They could not take her with them, as she was very much a liability but he knew that Levine may have some issues. "If you're ready, we can go now."

Levine appeared to think it over for a second, but his lack of hesitation was extremely evident. "I've been in here long enough….and what you have told me, gives me a lot of pause, but we need to get out of here right now." He stepped away from the window, his intent clear. "This place is unstable. Perhaps even more unstable then Sorna if what you told me is true," he said sounding like he had something figured out. "I think I figured some of it out, just by walking around it should be obvious. But if we stay any longer I think we will both be staying here a bit longer then we would like…." He sighed as he started gathering his notes into a bag on the ground as he prepared to leave. "We're getting out of here today."

Finn carefully checked the gun again as Levine continued packing, making sure that they would not be in need of anything. Yes, it seemed they had everything, he thought as he pushed the magazine back in the gun, as he backed up against the door, nodding to Levine. As he waited for Levine to get ready, he met the eyes of the woman, and she met his…neither of them said anything. They really had nothing to say to each other and both of them knew it. She just sat there breathing slowly as she held her arm tightly, and the bleeding had stopped, he noticed. It was worse then Levine's, But again, she had people who could help her out, they were on their own, tresspassers… and they needed to get out. As quickly as possible.

"Let's get out of this shithole," Levine muttered as they carefully opened the door, making sure that there was nothing left behind. Finn was busy making sure that there was not going to be any surprise attacks, and so his attention was completely occupied. He didn't notice Levine behind his back throwing the keys to the bunker back into the room as he left. No sign of any dinosaurs, they were clear, he thought. "Should just retrace our steps…and we should be okay," he said half to himself as they began walking along the edge of the trail. It was rather rocky, but easy going. There was shrubbery on both sides, but he was glad for the extra help with his footing as they were halfway up the road already. It should not really be that far to the jeep once they reached the road. Barring any dinosaurs there should not even be a problem.

They had almost reached the top when he heard a low hum, he turned to Levine… Levine shook his head, no it wasn't a dinosaur, at least according to him. Carefully, they walked to the side now, off the trail, and trying not to be visible from the road. If there was anything the past day had taught him that there was things out there that were beyond anything he had researched all these years. Then he saw it, as the cars came into view. Three or four of them, jeeps…each carrying at least four heavily armed men, rifles at least. He took a look at the gun in his hand , it seemed small in comparison now. There was no way he was going to be able to hold them off…looking at Levine, he knew. There was no way they would be able to get to the car with these people there… By the look of it they were heading for the bunker too.

Which was very near where they were, uncomfortably so. He looked at Levine again, and looked down, to the side of the path. Going back to the bunker wasn't an option…unless he wanted to join Levine permanently in this place. Then what was he going to do? He tried to think…breathing hard as he saw the shrubbery was thick on this side, and it led to a low plateau. Would protect them from the other threat, and he was certain that any predator would stay away while there was such an obviously large security team nearby. At least he hoped so. There was no other choice in the matter, he saw as he looked down, and nodded. "The hell-" Levine began just as Finn pushed him, bad shoulder first to get him to move. The man grunted…"damn you-" he said before he lost his footing and tumbled down the slope. Finn let go of the shrubbery and tumbled down as well, feeling the branches scrape him as he went. It was rough, and he felt himself bruise and scratched as he fell. But it was a short fall, and the landing was almost as bad as the fall.

Getting up, he saw that they were on the bottom of the incline, further away then what they needed to be. But that was the plan, if they could get around somehow, to the other side of the rocks then… he thought maybe they could get to the car without being seen. It would take some time, but they should leave the jeep there, they did not look like they had towing equipment with them, most likely the security for this place would have to make a second trip. And by then they would be long gone. But for now…he looked up, saw they could not be seen from the road. That was good. Bad…they could still be seen from the bunker window, he thought co-relating himself as to where the bunker was. He had seen the view from there, it sort of matched up.

He had to get out of there before they were spotted…he knew there was an incline behind the house, so they could not go that way…or could they? He grabbed Levine, forcing him him as the man groaned. "The hell is wrong with you?" Levine whispered angrily, as he swatted Finn's hand away from him, turning to look up seeing the cars parked up there. They did not have much time, they both knew that. The woman could easily pinpoint that they had not left that long ago and thus that there was few places for them to go. If only there was somewhere to hide. Looking around, he saw nothing but rocky barren land…there were a few inclines, but they all led up which would put them in view. He fretted for a second that he may have put himself in an inescapable cul-de-sac which they would be found quickly.

Levine was staring at the ground for some reason, he couldn't figure out why, but there was no time to worry about that…except when he felt the other man's hand on his shoulder. He turned, Levine was pointing to the ground. "Styracosaurs…look there are their footprints in the ground. I watched them come down to this plateau many times." He stopped, and stepped forward a bit more, holding on to his arm, which was bleeding a bit, possibly due to the fall. "They come here for their dominance fights and displays, not unlike deer or elk." He stepped forward as he stepped towards what appeared to be a dead end. Finn was on the verge of asking him if there was a point, but stopped. Not like he had another option anyway, and he wanted for them to get out of here.

"Okay,these fights are extremely stressful and afterwards the animals mill about, and rest. But it was always just out of my way so I could not observe accurately," he said shaking his head in annoyance as he stepped forward. As he did so, Finn followed him, putting the gun in his waistband for now. Stepping forward revealed that there was a narrow path just beyond the small incline to their right and he followed, revealing enough space for two men to walk alongside or one animal to go alone. Levine's hunch seemed to be paying off as he saw the path was well trod, a game trail. He recognized one from the years he had spent tracking down the anamolies… this was a frequently used path, and right now, given that the exit was so narrow he was glad that there did not appear to be one of the animals nearby, he had seen the picture in the Jurassic World guide book Levine had shown him and it seemed to be something he would not want to meet.

Turning the corner he saw…one big pile of shit in the corner. It was a large enlongated space, in the corner of which was a large streak of fecal matter spread all along one side. As they got closer, he could hear chirping, and was alert, but Levine stayed his hand as he reached for the gun again. "No…watch what they are doing." He said as he backed along the side, gesturing to Finn to pay attention. Finn had no idea what he was talking about but he did pay attention. The compys were facing away from them, and as he stared, they were remaining at the edge of the pile, heads bobbing and weaving. He counted five or six, and he blinked as he realized what they were doing. "That's right, they eat waste matter...this place must be a smorgasboard for them." Finn blinked as he realized then, one part of the puzzle clicking into place.

This place…was some sort of natural magnet, drawing these small predators up here. The large animals he had seen here, they were sufficient to create a constant supply of fecal matter for the animals to feed off of. He looked at Levine, unsure of how to proceed now. It was extremely clear that both of them realized it and had reached that conclusion probably at the same time. It also established something else. "There's more of these things here in this locale then elsewhere. There's isolated colonies up and down Central America but without a viable food source, population is low and unsustainable…" He realized it just as they stepped closer, watching. Some of the compies were smaller then the others and he knew. Oh yes. It was possible then because Levine was already starting to count them.

"Ratio is uneven. Would indicate that there is probably sizeable amount of juveniles here…" Levine stopped as he stared at Finn. As they took steps sideways, they knew they couldn't go back, but here forward was unknown still and after that they would have to be on their own. "They have a nest here, probably, but place this size we'll never find it." Levine sighed as he realized the area beyond seemed to go off into a maze. It was frustrating, but they would have to hurry. They could hear noise from behind them, and it was clear that they did not have a lot of time. No time at all. Not even to rest or catch a breath.

They were on the cusp of something here, but they couldn't even follow up on it, as they heard noise of rocks moving. The Compys chirped, visibly disturbed, and started moving away from the pile of feces. They bobbed along , walking almost in single file past the men, and were lost to sight. Finn and Levine hesitated…but that was the only exit and they could hear the foosteps getting louder. Finn did not want to spend the rest of his life cooped up in that guardhouse or even worse… So neither of them really had any choice, Finn thought even as he saw the last compy disappear to sight. Now he was literally being forced to chase the anomalies, Finn thought as both man and dinosaur fled from the approaching footsteps .


	28. The Other Side of the Coin

The men had not been gone for long, but Karen wasted no time. She got up off the bed, and grabbed the keys that Levine had thrown, with a smirk. She knew that being his jailer would pay off, eventually. Although she had not signed up for it specifically, Rossiter had some ideal in the beginning that Levine would respond better to her then one of the other people, an idea she had been initially skeptical of. But it had paid off, and she pressed the bandage tighter, breathing heavily. Well, maybe the bandage helped with the sympathy factor a bit too. She should have known…that they would find themselves mentally obligated to help her out, keep her from dying at least from blood loss.

She got up from the cot, reaching under the bed for a second the support beams moving to the side under a hidden lever. Biosyn really did think of everything, she thought as she pulled a taser gun out of the compartment. It served a purpose in that nobody wanted to be stuck out here at least without radio contact. Even without things like that giant bird, she knew that sometimes someone may be stuck in here for whatever reason. The whole purpose of this was to serve as a way station for hunters, not act as a practical jail, but they had to make do. Anyway, there were still a lot of things going around in in head as she picked up the taser and headed for the door.

Of course she couldn't catch up to them, but she could still on some level get to one of the pylons. They had an alarm code on each one, so that a hunter and guide might not get into an awkward situation without backup shortly. She didn't even need the car, she just needed to get to a pylon, then limp back where she would be safe from that thing. And that other thing, she though remembering her half-glimpse of the raptor, as Levine had called it. She had been pretending to be resting when Levine and Finn had been talking, and so she had gotten a vague idea of what they were saying. It was greatly unnerving to hear, and she knew at once they had a security situation possibly larger then the unauthorized people. No, this was something much, much bigger, although how much she didn't know. Just that Rossiter probably needed to know about this.

She carefully opened the door, holding the taser level with her face so that she would not be surprised to the level that Levine had been. "Huh," she said, first impression upon opening as she let the door open wider as she dropped her hand to her side. In front of her on the road above were four jeeps, and it appeared about half the security staff was up there, and the other half coming down towards the bunker, weapons drawn. She stepped to the side as they entered the bunker, and searched it. Five minutes later, they seemed content that she was no longer bring held hostage. Then she was face to face with Rossiter, and he was ordering the men to check her bandages. She knew he would want to find out what had happened, but not now, now there were more important things to worry about.

As Rossiter walked by the jeep she was sitting in, she nodded. "Left barely five minutes ago. There should be a stalled jeep out that direction… may have headed there… However, if nobody is there…." She looked out, knowing this place well due to having been in the middle of it, even when most others had not. "Rocky outcrops, where I would hide." She said as she sat up. The pain in her shoulder…made her glad that she had not had to walk all that way, clearly she could not have and would have been vulnerable to whatever may be in that direction. But now she had a lot of backup, and felt better in regards to that plan, so now it seemed like things might be falling back into place, where before they had not been.

"Did they do this to you?" Rossiter asked as he looked at her bandage, and there was indeed some blood seeping through. She looked back up, it was a natural question, and she knew he may need an answer for it. But first she wanted to frame it in a manner that he would not overtly panic. This situation required some delicacy after all. "If they did, that's assault. We could have the Mexican authorities take him away. No one would believe them either…" She looked up, as she realized there was something else beside the animal she needed to talk about. The intruder. He had entered with a gun, and she had not said that there was more then one when she had come here…she stopped. Looking up at him. All this security too…too much for just two people. Even if Rossiter somehow had known. And it had been a few hours since the radio signal. So why was he here? She had been about to answer, but now she needed an answer. As head of Security, she damn well deserved an answer.

"I never said there was more then one," she said wanting to know what the hell was going on. This was nearly the entire contingent of security too. "This is…a lot of men. I can handle this, just let me direct them and tell them what to do." She tried to sit up, but noticed that the concerned look Rossiter had earlier was now gone, it was replaced by something that was perhaps a bit colder, she couldn't exactly tell. It bothered her, and she was just wanting now to get back to her office, and get a nice coffee and sandwich. But it seemed to her that she was going to have to wait until Rossiter did whatever needed 16 guys to do. Which was more then enough she thought to handle anything that this park could throw at you. Except perhaps for the unknown variable.

"A few actually," Rossiter said, his voice now level. "Came yesterday-got passed the checkpoint. Nabbed one at the door, but next thing you know, the pylons are out in two-three zones. Had to go around the east exit, drive where you were." He got a pack of cigarettes and lit one up, smoking near her, causing her to cough. "Next thing I know we got a signal over here, on the emergency frequency. Cameras indicate one of the intruders got away, but since Levine hasn't got any balls in his body, I guessed it must be the other guy." She thought he was being very evasive, very unlike the Rossiter who had given her the job of Head of Security. And right now, his explanation was very…lacking especially to someone in her position. She needed to know more. If this was a security issue…

He was not being honest with her, and there seemed to be a clear gulf in what she knew and what he was telling her. She tried sitting up again, the pain hurt, and she could feel it. "If the pylons are out in these zones…that means some animals are already out." She said, flatly, realizing he had not told her which zones. The Carnotaur…she had been against having that in the first place, it was impossible to accurately track a creature that could turn invisible even if you knew where it was. Seemed like an oxymoron, but in so many ways she knew it could be true. "Its way too soon for you to have rounded up everything." And yet they were here, and she saw around her, there was something else at play there. "But…your not here for that are you."

No, nothing she saw around her matched up with either retrieving intruders or getting animals back into their proper zones. And as she sat up entirely, she saw the odometer. It was set at a distance she knew would have been too short to have gone around the zones. This had to be from one of the side garages, probably the one most adjacent this zone. He had come directly here….and she thought back to the first thing, but clearly there were three crisises here, and the answer was how severe to rank them, but she knew that a couple guys stumbling onto here with two guns between them was dead last. "If you were going to have done that, you would have done it already. And taking care of the animals you would have been here much later… why did you really come here?"

Rossiter smiled, as he tossed the cigarette to the side. "For a head of security, you are something you know that?" His sudden change in attitude unnerved her, as she sat back, still unsure. "All right, you want to know so bad? We had our first client hunt last night, and I check the cams afterward and I find this"-he took a printed screenshot from his pocket and handed it to her as she looked at it numbly. She was repulsed by it, it was shocking to her…It depicted the dead body of a man, his guts torn open as he lay on his side on the grass. However, that was not the most disturbing part, there were three or four figures above the body, she recognized it. The strange dinosaur that had charged the door yesterday-the 'raptor' as Levine had called it. But three…four? What were they doing here? she held the paper in disbelief, unable to answer. Because she didn't have an answer. At all.

She looked at the pic numbly, feeling it was a confirmation of what she had feared after last night, seeing that animal charging the door. Scared that they would all die once something like that got in the room at that moment. But it had passed, but now she saw it again. The animals there were not on the list… "Raptors," she found herself muttering without realizing it, and Rossiter must have caught on because he was looking at her strangely. But she looked back at him, shaking her head, at a loss for words. Only that this was a very real problem now, they had a situation on their hands, and she didn't know if they could contain it. Four over there probably meant there were five in total…where did they come from? She had been paying attention to the men's talk about 'anomalies' and gathered some details, but not all of it. The thing about being injured and lying down is people assumed you were asleep. Extremely useful for gathering information.

"So you do know something about this-are the intruders responsible in any way then? Did they mention these?" Rossiter seemed as if he was really trying to piece something together, and before she had a chance to answer, he produced another photograph for her to see. She looked at it, seeing the end of the trailer in the garage, it was clearly a still from a security camera. But as she scanned left to right, she could see a security officer directing two men near the trailer. The first man she recognized, 'Finn' –who she had detained at first, and then the other she did not, could not even see his face due to the brim of his hat. Rossiter passed her another one, as continued. "Two men just drove up, trailer and all, security let them through, god knows why but this…Don't know where the hell they got that." He turned and showed the second picture to her. She gasped, as she saw it.

There was a goddamn dinosaur coming out of the trailer. And the security officer was lying on the floor, his entrails everywhere…goddammit, all the blood, she felt a bit pale. Forget the raptors…this was something on another level. There were now three different species of these things that they couldn't account for. The raptors, the giant bird-thing, and this thing with two crests. And all of them were still here, god knows where and how long. She felt sick as she thought to herself she had no idea how long at least two of these things might be there. "I…am at a loss as to where the hell they got that…from." She said at the same time confused and angry. Angry that she had let herself be led to believe that the man Finn might be harmless when it was clear that he was anything but. The two men in these picture were clearly responsible for the death of the officer… "They can't have gone far…but we'll find them." She was adamant now, as she looked into Rossiter's eyes which were for some reason strangely distant.

"Yeah, that's not going to work out," Rossiter said flatly as he backed away, leaving her holding the photographs. "You really ****ed up here. People died and now I have two separate things on my plate. These intruders plus the goddamn animals popping up **** knows where." He gestured, two other security officers walking up to him to stand beside the jeep. "If you think that I can take one more failure, you must be delusional. I am assigning these two to keep watch, any thing odd happens…intruders or these …mystery animals, they'll get them. I'm taking the guard out after the intruders…and when I get back, we'll have a serious chat about your continued employment here." He then turned his back and left before she had a chance to respond.

She felt herself stewing on two fronts as she watched him go, her hand tightening over the pictures of the raptors and the other animal. Her pride and her position gone… She felt herself breathe hard as she leaned back in the seat, the corner of her eye watching the security team go down the slope as there were shouts about finding footprints. That was most of them, but she thought to herself something was odd. Looking down at the photograph again, she realized that there it was. The man in the hat…she had seen the other one 'Finn' back in the bunker, but that meant there was one person still left to go. There was a missing link, who could be anywhere by now, who should be… especially right now, she thought.

Sitting up, she grabbed her taser, which Rossiter had still given her. She might not be head of security after this incident, however she was acutely aware that one person could be responsible for causing an unexpected wrench into things. The fact that Rossiter had not mentioned him at all, made her think since after all that meant there was one out there…and other things that had not really been apparent. As an unknown quantity, this man was a threat…but as he had made no appearance yet, she could only file it away until later. But for now, the more pressing problem. She was alone by herself now…and she could see the security guards were not very highly equipped. But for now everything seemed fine right? Famous last words.

She could see it out of the corner of her eyes, barely just barely. But it struck fast, giving little to no time for reaction, just like a true predator. Waiting until the rest of the herd had gone and a few remained. She first realized when the first guard cried out, clutching his side then fell. The other man spun around, but dropped just as quickly, a humungous beak grabbing his throat and twisting. Karen stood up quickly, grabbing her taser as she watched in horror. It had happened so fast…she had thought she was safe here to reflect but no. It was too fast… Way too fast. Inhuman. She backed up, nearly stumbling over the front seat of the jeep, as she looked back in horror realizing there was no key. Rossiter had it. And looking down, seeing two corpses, one slashed all the way down the back, still twitching. The other, his neck slashed open, both of their weapons lying uselessly by their side. Looking up at her was the damn bird again, she could see its bloody beak… its penetrating gaze, how carelessly it just stood over the bodies of its victims. It had not even fed. No, it had just killed.

She thought it couldn't reach her here, not up on the jeep. No it really couldn't… she thought maybe she could wait it out. Wait until the rest got here, the security team would put that damn bird down…study it and maybe find out where the ****ing hell it came from in the first place. Yes, that would be a good start. A better start would be to get her down from here. She looked at her taser, seemingly pitifully small in her hand. No…it was circling the jeep now , its predatory gaze still upon her as it threatened to destroy her equally the same way. She was frightened, not because of the vulnerability of her position, but how fast it had happened. Lulled into a sense of safety like this only to be ripped away. It was way too fast.

Not this way, it couldn't end this way, she thought…then she heard the jeep groaning, and turned to realize the bird was putting its weight on the jeep. It was trying to get up. She tried to think, realizing now, how critical the next few seconds would be. Karen got closer, as the giant bird backed up a bit, as she realized what it was trying to do. Just a bit more, let it think it had her trapped. She knew this was her only chance, in the mere seconds the bird would make its play. Right now, it would be extremely foolhardy and might even end badly, but if she waited a few minutes she might be able to get it where she wanted it. It stopped backing up, pacing the ground, and she steadied herself, turned her taser on. The animal charged, screeching as it made huge strides towards her. It leaped, scratching the hood of the jeep and the jeep tilted a bit due to the animal's weight. However, the Jeep was slightly inclined, and it was to her advantage somewhat as she leaned forward. The legs slipped as they strove to gain purchase and the animals heavy bulk was having some difficulty.

One chance. She turned the steering wheel, knowing that it wouldn't make the car move, but the wheels certainly would. It gave a horrendous shifting noise as it was turned almost against its will, she could feel it resisting but she forced it. It gave up the ghost not gently, but in a groan as the wheels shifted to the left. The sudden imbalance caused the bird to loose balance, and it slipped, its body slamming against the windshield, breaking it. One chance. She grabbed the taser, and forced it down, just as the bird had grabbed the edge of the windshield in its beak for balance. Gripping the edge, she grabbed the beak, resisting the urge to cry out as she felt the sharp beak cut into her. "Die you bastard," she said, jamming the taser right into the most sensitive part of its body she could think of-it's eye.

The creature went limp, for a second and then began to spasm wildly. She jumped backwards, as the beak reflexed upwards, slashing her arm again, causing her to drop the taser. Turning, she quickly jumped backward, not looking back as she dived to the corpses. Scrambling, she could hear the sound of the body dropping off the car hood, still twitching, but moving. And very much alive. And angry. Looking, she grabbed the first thing she could find. The semi-automatic that all of them were issued 'in case of emergency'. Quick check. Loaded. That was all she needed to know as she looked up, saw the bird beginning to stand up. Not this time. She thought to herself as she squeezed the trigger and the bird staggered back, crying out as it was wounded. Heh. So it could be hurt. She thought to herself as the bird retreated, disappearing down the opposite hill. Huh, she thought to herself, not letting the gun drop but at the same time just tired.

She was alone now, and there were two dead bodies at her feet. And she had not bothered to try to explain about the bird to Rossiter…she backed up, shaking her head as she thought. Damn. Things had just got a whole lot more complex. Looking back at the jeep, it looked like there had been a collision as the entire thing was dented…the windshield was broken…two dead bodies and oh of course. Blood on her hands. She stepped back, realizing in that moment that arguing with Rossiter about her job was the least of her problems. Oh yes, that was true… She looked back over her shoulder, and tried to figure where to go next. Bunker? Safe but a dead end. Security? Yes but then she would have to explain this… she tossed her cap to the ground as she stumbled down the road, remembering. There was another jeep. And the keys should still be in the ignition if she recalled. Either way, she had been too panicked, but now she remembered clearly. The one over there…had extra keys in the dash, it should be fairly simple.

So that was the plan then, get to the jeep, get out of here…before the security team came back. She began walking down the path, acutely aware of the fact her arm and hand was bleeding. If there was any more of these 'wild' animals out there, they would smell it and unlike Rossiter she did not have the benefit of a security team around her. As she reached the top of the ridge, she was able to see beyond, out into the plain. And frowned, as she saw a lone figure walking, along the edge. A lone man…she squinted as she saw it. The hat.

There he was…the last intruder. She tightened the grip on her gun as she realized that she was in the line of sight, and the Jeep was right there…it would take time to rummage in the dash. There was no other option, she would have to try and reach it before he did, she thought as she turned to face the Jeep. And Froze.  
The Rex was –_right_\- there.


	29. Softening up the Beachhead

Muldoon was still breathing heavily as he walked behind the Tyrannosaurus, making sure not to attract its attention. After Tembo's death, he had hung back, waited a bit for the Rex to wander, and he knew that it must be hungry. With the appearance of the Pachy, hitherto unknown in its territory it had now gained a new scent, one which it would follow. Now, the animal was heading north, towards the rocky area he could see ahead. That was where the stray animal had come from, and where more like it could be found. At least he presumed so by the speed with which the Rex was heading there, forcing him to a brisk walk just to keep pace with it, but again, not too close either.

Robert Muldoon felt the hot sun beat down on him as he thought briefly of Tembo, the look on his face. He swallowed, closed his eyes briefly as he took a deep breath. The look on his face. The eyes of a hunter. And in these few, frenzied seconds, he had seen something in them. Desperation? Plea for mercy? Hatred? He could not tell but the stare had been so intense. Intense and extremely so especially as he must have known what was happening, and why Muldoon had done it. Of course he had no choice, he knew that. Tembo must have known it too. But for all that Tembo had wanted, would he have doen the same? Would he have left him to die? Muldoon could not answer that, only the eyes flashed through his memory.

He did not know where he was going, but hoped for now that he could get to one of the walls, maybe a parking garage so he could get out of here. That was the plan for now, he thought. Get out of here and maybe drive looking for Finn if he could. He knew there was still security in here and he did not want to get recaptured. So he would have to be smart about it. But that also meant that he would have to make sure that there was nothing that could harm him during that too. The Rex would be a problem as well. He looked down at his SPAS-12 as he got closer, shaking his head as he thought of how he had heard one shot but the Rex had kept on coming. If it came down to it…

But it wouldn't, Muldoon thought as he walked thinking silently. It wouldn't. He would make sure it wouldn't. So he told himself as he followed the Rex, shaking inside a bit every time its massive bulk made a turn left or right. The animal was not moving in a straight line, and he noticed at intervals it had criss-crossed the pylons. It already knew that the sonic fencing was not working and that was a cause for concern, he thought. He had dealt with a Rex, two of them previously….but had managed to take it down.

This was different on an entirely new level, especially here in this place. Here it was cage by walls, not by an island. And who knew how stable these walls were? He thought of it fleetingly, but did not let himself get distracted by the immediate problem. Instead, he let the Rex go ahead, as it began walking towards the rocky path, very slowly. As the terrain began to change, he could see there were very clear and distinct tire tracks in the dirt, they must be recent too from how deep they were, and that they had not been filled in by the elements either. Other people, he thought…tightening the grip on his rifle. There was no telling how many of them there were, but he followed the path.

Rexy was slowing now, he noticed as they walked up the incline, noticing there was an abandoned jeep up the ridge. He hung back as the Rex stopped to sniff it, making sure to stay downwind of the animal. He was sure that it would take care of anything up ahead. Also he was keenly aware that he was running a very double edged sword here. If the Rex noticed him at any point, he knew it was most likely over, but he had experience in the African plains before. Every time he had stalked an animal, he had made sure that it never even noticed him. He had perfected it to the point where even with minimal cover he could stalk a prey and remain undetected. Here was the test, with stalking an animal that had already bested a hunter equal to him.

As the rex continued to sniff the abandoned jeep, Muldoon slid to the ridge where walking would be tougher for the Rex. He noticed there was a body down there, he frowned, realizing the scent of blood…would it attract the rex? It was a possibility to him, he had no way of knowing how the animal would react now that it was outside the barrier of its small contained area. In Nublar, the Rex had responded by following the scent of prey…that had been close to its paddock. Here, it seemed that the barriers were even closer then that. So there should be plenty of different scents and smells around that the Rex was smelling right now. So it was following the scent and right now was probably curious, smelling out her new territory to see what was there.

He slowly began to walk back up the slope, keeping a weather eye on the Rex. He was no fool, he knew that at any instant, it could turn around, and it would all be over for him. The gun in his hand….would be nothing at all to a creature this size. But he looked at the jeep, his interest there as he knew if he could get it started, then he would be able to get to one of the garages, make his escape. But it would have to be carefully done. Because he knew that the animal had good hearing. Nublar had informed him of that, and so he was careful not to ever once underestimate these animals, knowing what they were capable of. That was how you got killed…but he had a feeling for some reason.

Call it intiuition, but he had a feeling. A gut feeling, and he felt it when the rex moved on. He quickly siddled to the edge of jeep, keeping an eye on the rex. The problem of the corpse could not be entertained right now with death realistically so close. But it was probably one of the raptors, he had seen them with his own eyes and they could easily kill a man, a careless security guard who had no clue that truly wild dinosaurs were lurking in this manufactured safari park. And that Muldoon wouldn't care. He looked, and saw the Rex was stopping. What now? He stepped forward, crouched downwind as he saw there were a few more jeeps ahead. The Rex was low to the ground. Sniffing something. Low to the ground, he crouched down as well, to see what it was. The smell hit him. Fresh. Blood. Bodies…two of them, the Rex was sniffing it. And it made sense. A predator scavenging would go for the fresher kill… and he realized then that he had a very close shave. He frowned.

Two bodies though. The Rex meanwhile began to feed, tearing off the limbs of the corpses as it filled its belly. Another predator had passed through here. Recently. Muldoon added it up. The older corpse…the jeeps ahead…they had come from a different direction. He turned again. The Jeep…. There were more seats in the jeeps ahead then there were bodies. Which meant more security. Where were they? The three corpses. A predator. Again. Same one? It was likely. Which meant…two things. The uniforms on the bodies, he could see it, remember it from the control room. Security. Also. The other predators territory was nearby. But…that was something wrong.

Biosyn did not seem to know about their little pest control issue yet, he thought. So what was it that they could be… Finn. He realized as it tied together. They were after Finn. And the man probably had no idea what he was into, and there was a Rex nearby. Oh well, you learn to swim by diving in the deep end, Muldoon had always thought as he jumped off the side of the road, watching Rexy continue to eat. That would preoccupy her for a while. Hopefully give him some room to escape when security came back. That would be a fun little surprise. But as for him, he saw there was a bunker ahead. The door was slightly ajar and it was on a little incline. He thought about going in there, hiding until the Rex had passed but it was risky. Biosyn would check if they saw the door closed, and with other predators around, he could not afford to leave it open. Plus there was a chance they would retrieve the other jeep again. He couldn't chance it, it was way to risky in his opinion.

But something else cought his eye, and he was temporarily distracted by it. Could it be? Yes…it was….there were footprints he could tell even from this distance. They weren't there. He looked to the side, the slope alongside the path. Disturbed, even from this distance. And then directly down. A tracker like him could tell… Finn had gone done that way, that was for sure, he realized and was pursued by security. He looked up at Rexy, saw she was still distracted and decided not to push his luck. It was probably more then time for him to take his leave, Muldoon thought as he slid off the side of the road. He could see the depressed leaves, and there was a low plateau beyond and he managed to scramble down, all the while keeping an eye on the Tyrannosaur above, making sure that it did not get any ideas about him for its next meal. He reached the plateau, and noticed that there was a maze….there was a multitude of footprints below, and he could tell that there had been a few people going this way previously.

Following them did not seem like a good idea, but he might have to go indirectly. He was walking on a game trail, he knew and he could tell by the big pile of shit in the corner there were large herbivores here. He quickly scanned for an alternate path, and found one in the upward incline. He scrambled up it, knowing that the hilly nature of the terrain would make it difficult for the Rext to pursue. Plus he had a feeling the Rex would not, as he knew about how these animals intereacted somewhat in others territories. In the African Savannah, Lions would steer clear of Jackals or Hyenas when in packs…which was a particularly disturbing analogy right now for him as he thought it through. He was not moving quickly enough through the territory and that was probably a bad precedent. He was moving as fast as he could, but that was probably never enough especially with predators of this magnitude.

Yes it was highly likely he thought earlier that this was the territory of some other predator. Not native….and his mind knew immediately what that must be. He sighed as he reached the incline and could see the area more clearly. There was a winding path below to a low gully, and he recalled something of what Rossiter had said he couldn't quite remember. Something about this discomforted him greatly as the thoughts began to swirl around his head. He could see the path he was on led it roundabout, and he began to walk slowly, breathing hard as he did so, checking the amount of shells he had. Not that many. Four…five. But so far he ran into no animals, other then the one on the ridge behind him, and he was glad for that to be perfectly honest about it. If it had been a quarry, there were always going to be places where miners had abandoned a strike. He knew that.

Muldoon walked down the incline towards the quarry bottom, the maze like atmosphere of it sometimes making him feel constricted but at the same time he felt his heart thumping. He was walking into it now, he oculd have just tried to hide in the bunker but he had a feeling he was personally long past that option. No, he must try and satisfy himself on his gut feeling about what this was leading to. He needed to get Finn back if he was still alive…and they needed to get the hell out of this place, he thought as he turned the corner, and saw it. Yes, that was definitely it. Down there as he crouched he could clearly distinguish about a dozen or so people, alls situated around a large opening in the rock. This was it, if there was any.

And now he knew from hearing Grant's report about the nest on Nublar…there was probably more then one…he scanned the horizon, as he saw what he was looking for, on the opposite side of the rock face, there was unmistakably two compys darting into a dark void in the earth. There it was. He thought. Robert Muldoon smiled as he slid down the incline, taking a deep breath as he looked at the darkness and knew what awaited him. Finn was in there somewhere, and he probably did not even know what he had stumbled into. He frowned as he walked in, knowing that was it.

Time to live dangerously, he thought as he pumped his rifle, crossing the darkness, and coming into a low chamber. Yes, he had reached the right place, Muldoon immediately knew as he looked inside, and saw Finn and…Richard Levine both huddled against a rock at one end of the chamber. They did not seem to notice him. He was about to go towards them, but then he stopped in his tracks, realizing the reason for their hesitation. "Mother of god." He swore under his breath as he took in the scene in front of him, understanding now what he had feared was grown real. And that they had all just walked right into it.

The Raptor Nest.


	30. The Raptor Nest

There was very little light in the chamber, but what there was, was quite enough. Muldoon looked over at the chamber, as he recalled what Rossiter had said. A quarry was a difficult place to work in though, there were many holes in the ground, especially when you were dealing with miners. Not every hole was going to be documented, and some may have been forgotten over time. It was an easy oversight to make, and Muldoon could not fault Rossiter for forgetting this cave, but it had been too easy of an opening, he knew. He was controlling his breathing, looking over at Finn and Levine, seeing that they had not noticed his presence yet. Fine, be that way, because perhaps it was better. He knew right now he should be concentrating on what was ahead of him rather then the history of the place either but he could not help but think.

The low light illuminated the chamber and he could see there was wooden beams above him, the support structures for the mine shaft. He did not want to think of how far it went down, but he could see above him there was an old rusted lamp. How many years had it been under water? Long enough most likely, he thought as he moved to the side, careful to keep his scent down. The light was reflecting off of something in the gloom, and he could see it, the faintest light of a vein down the mine shaft. So long ago, the germans had dug, and abandoned this place…but the groundwater had exposed what their pickaxes had not…..they had stopped within bare inches of it, the lode he could see…silver, copper? He didn't know and didn't care, but there was enough of the vein exposed to reflect enough…

His gaze went downwards, as he moved. The first thing he saw were the eyes, reflected in the gloom. At least a dozen, maybe more. Six….seven? He thought? That would be about right, matched the number he had seen earlier, in the tall grass. He had wondered about that number, but now he was not wondering any more, as the light revealed more. As he turned, he saw Levine noticed him, Finn still seemed to be covering his head and trying not to be noticed. Muldoon put a finger in front of his lips to indicate that he should be silent, but directing Levine to watch the scene. There was a nod, thankfully he understood. Muldoon did not know how Levine had gotten mixed up in this, and now was not the right time to ask. But it was funny that way, as he thought even in this place… they had limited time, and he knew from outside that there was another shaft that may lead down here. He did not want to be down there.

Levine was now facing the chamber, something under his breath, Muldoon didn't catch but he looked, carefully and all to well knowing his number of shells was limited. The pair of eyes in the gloom, and he could see the light shifting a bit, allowing him to see more as he got better adjusted to the night. Seven…eight. Maybe more, he had no way of knowing. Raptors. They had found a raptor nest, he thought as he saw the animals moving about in the gloom. The glint of eggshells, that was what Levine was counting, he realized in the gloom. There were a few clusters of them, Muldoon did not want to stick around to count, but he noticed perhaps four-five different nests. Even he knew what that meant. More breeding pairs then were in the cave. He felt a lump in his throat, but it was something Biosyn could worry about. Right now, they needed to get out of here.

The raptors had not noticed them –yet- but he knew from experience that it would only be a matter of time. They had walked right into the nest, and if these animals thought that they were going to harm or injure any of their young there was no telling what they would do. Grant had entered a nest on Nublar, but these were not InGen animals. Most likely second or third generation mainland born that he could estimate, facing the pressures of an entirely different world. He had no idea of how they would react, and did not wish to find out. He grabbed Levine by the shoulder, pointed to Finn and tilted his head towards the exit, really indicating that right now they should be leaving. Any longer, and the raptors would be alerted they were there. They could be out in a few-get to the jeep while security was distracted and get out of-

That's when he heard the sound of boots crunching, he turned and he saw all of the animals turn their heads, their eyes swiveling in the darkness. But not at him, at the tunnel slightly down, and he realized in a flash. There was the Biosyn team coming through, and they had a chance. They could leave in the darkness, the chaos sure to come after…. because he had no doubt that Biosyn had no idea what was down here. So there would be enough to let them get away, at least he hoped so, as he began backing up. The noises from the tunnel were getting closer, and he could tell as several of the shapes began advancing towards the tunnel….which was unfortunately very close to where they were, he knew. A little bit too close for his comfort in fact, which was not lost on him at all.

-

Jeff Rossiter was sick and tired of this. The security feeds they had managed to bring up had told them that Levine and the intruder were still in the bunker with their head of security. However, they had fled the coop, and were now here somewhere in this shithole. He regretted not immediately dynamiting these tunnels when they had planned this place. All he had asked about it was if the animals such as the Pachy or the Styracos would hide in here, and had been assured that they would not. So the matter had dropped a while ago, but it had also sort of slipped his mind. It was extremely dark in here, and he had ordered one of his men to light a flare as they walked through the tunnel, this being where the footprints had led to. Levine would be recaptured soon, and the intruder would be handed over to the Mexican authorities, and through the clever placement of a few bribes there would be no trial.

He was sure of that. Muldoon and this intruder would go down the darkest hole he could ensure for them, with the knowledge that they had failed to ruin his grand opening. He had the manpower, and the resources to deal with them, and ensure that they would come quietly. Muldoon wasn't a fool, he would surely count his odds and would figure out something. They also had lost track of Tembo, and that was bad, he thought to himself. Their first client and wasn't picking up on any of the security feeds. The jeep they had taken was overturned and trashed, and as far as he knew, the other porters were dead. By what and how, he wasn't quite sure but he knew it had something to do with Muldoon. He was convinced of that. Of where the new dinosaurs had come from….and he had wondered about that. Especially as some impulse had made him review the feed of Muldoon's entrance into his park.

Somehow Muldoon had captured a dinosaur –outside- of his park, and not one that had been cooked up in his labs. He thought back to Costa Rica, how none of the team had survived. But that was Costa Rica, not here…surely it was not meaning that dinosaurs had come all the way from a little mountain village to here? He was sure that was not the case, but Muldoon would be interrogated when they brought him in. Thoroughly Interrogated, and he would tell him everything he wanted to know. Him and Levine both. The park would be under control again soon, he was confident of that too. Only a few zones had been damaged and the animals that had intermingled were easy to reinstate. They would reassume control soon, and he was more then ready for their problems to be over.

The issue now, was that they were walking a bit too slow, he was worried that Levine might elude him here in the gloom. But he couldn't escape, his men were tracking him as they spoke, that implant in his arm, it allowed them to track him as well. And they were rapidly closing in on his position, he saw from the handheld device one of his men was carrying. Levine would not stand a chance, not at all against the combined forces of his men. He would feel almost bad for him, if Levine had not annoyed him to this level. He was so close to opening this place, and he could not bear a single wrinkle in its grand opening escape him.

As the blips got closer, he instructed the men to fan out when they approached him, cut off his avenue of escape. Especially now as he could tell that there were telltale signs they were reaching the end of this passage. Soon there would be nowhere at all for Levine to run, and he would have him safely locked away in the bunker again as he got the park back under control. He had failed, this intruder too in whatever act of sabotoge he had intended along with Muldoon, Find out where Muldoon had obtained the foreign dinosaur from…. That was another thing. Maybe he could use that to his advantage, and have two distinct sources of dinosaurs for the park, properly contained…

-  
As Rossiter was lost in his daydreams, Levine cowered against the rocks like a hunted animal. He looked over at Muldoon, at Finn, and at the raptors carefully trying not to make any sound. He then looked at the exit, wondering if they could make a run for it. He looked at Muldoon, his face speaking for him…and saw Muldoon shaking his head. He turned. The raptors were walking towards them, heading one by one into the tunnel. He closed his eyes, taking another breath. It was too risky he understood, but at least….Muldoon met his eyes, indicating the last raptor in line. Yes. He understood. The security would be a distraction, sufficient enough that they could run out of here and get to the jeeps. He tensed, as he took Finn's shoulder, with a nod indicating that they were going to get the hell out of here. He was only too ready to leave.

One…two…and…the last raptor ducked in the passageway and Levine stood up, dragging Finn with him. "Hurry," he motioned although he knew that was not neeed, but he felt like the urgency of the moment required it. Muldoon got up too, and almost ran when…they stopped suddenly, careful not to move a muscle. The shadow in the doorway was unmistaken. The raptor stood there, watching them, caught almost by surprise as they were. In it's jaws, Levine could make out a dead compy…recently killed. It stepped forward, and the group stepped back. It seemed unsure of what to react, having found itself outnumbered. Levine stepped forward, showing he was unarmed. He tried to indicate he only wanted to pass, his arms outstretched, and breathing heavily.  
The raptor stared at him with its cold reptilian eyes, as if weighing him. This mortal that dared. He carefully inched his way forward as the other men watched, almost paralyzed but also in anticipation.

"Yes…just want to get past, won't bother you again…" Levine was muttering half to himself and half to take his mind off what he was seeing. The compy suddenly fell to the ground with a thud. Levine jumped back as the raptor suddenly crouched down, its claws outstretched, and its sickle claw tapping the ground. It snarled at him, ready to leap and Levine found himself frozen with fear.

The hell with it. Muldoon thought as he saw the raptor about to tear Levine apart. He knew all to well what was going to happen, and Levine had to as usual make an ass of himself. He knew raptors better then anyone, and that technique should never have worked. No time to think, he just charged and slammed the raptor on the side with his full body weight. Caught off guard, the raptor stumbled. Not letting up, Muldoon hit it again, this time with the butt of the rifle on the head, and it fell back. Turning to Levine and Finn, he yelled. "GO, NOW! I'm right behind you!" They wasted no time, the new guy seeming to snap out of his daze long enough to run past him. Levine however, paused, holding out his hand.

Not this time though….as suddenly the raptor leaped between them, separating them. Muldoon gave him a look…"GO!" As he trained the rifle on the raptor, as it advanced on him. He began backing up further and further, deeper into the nest. The raptor slowly advanced, and it was as if time had stood still, as he let it back him into a corner. Behind it, he could see Levine and Finn running past, wondering what had brought Levine here in the first place in the back of his mind. He was careful however not to take his eyes off of the raptor, he was pretty sure that at any moment it might choose to pounce. If it did…Muldoon thought as he squinted down the barrel of the SPAS-12…he was ready for it.

-  
Rossiter was impatient and grabbed the tracker from a nearby security agent. He was anxious to know now where Levine might be. Looking down at the screen, he saw…the map showed he was no longer in the cavern. Outside….he realized all of a sudden they had left the keys in the ignition of the jeeps. "Turn back, we're going out…" He said as the words died on his lips.

The darkness around them began to seem less like they were making headway through it, but that it was trying to intrude. Some primal feeling in him was uneasy and he thought he knew why. "Keep your weapons up you never know when…" Just then there was a scream. Everyone suddenly stopped, dead silent. He stepped forward confused. That hadn't sounded like Levine…. something was wrong.

He checked comms, trying to reach the man in front. "Have you found Levine yet, acknowledge, over." There was only static…they had all been trained to respond immediately and the fact that they had not already sent all sorts of alarms ringing in his head. He still had over ten men, he would find the missing one, and then they would reconvene. He turned on the second channels, these directly behind the lead guys. "Keep ready for any sign of the point man. Acknowledge…over." Static again, he looked to the left and right, taking a breath. "Turn on your lights, I think Levine may have found a gun or something. He makes a sound, smoke him out, use the nonlethal grenades." He would get to the bottom of this.

He still had a substantial number of men…more then enough to take Levine down. "You're not Rambo! There's no way out of here, Levine…you think you're going to take the story to the press? No one will believe you! You're not going to get famous!" It felt like the void swallowed up his words, but worse. That something in there was hearing it…reacting. He pulled out his own pistol. To hell with it. He thought as he began backing up. Looked down at his tracker. Levine was –not- in there with him. He had known that, his words were for the benefit of his security, as he began backing up, towards the exit. In front of him, the security team advanced, and he could see their lights moving away from him. It made him feel some comfort for a second. One second. That was all it took.

He began backing up more as he could see the light at the end of the tunnel, feeling a bit more confident now at least. Looking up, the lights continued but then…there was suddenly shouts, the lights swayed in the gloom, left and right erratically, shots fired almost at random…panic… but the gloom was too dark to see anything, There was an inhuman hiss somewhere near him, and then shouts… He held his pistol level, feeling a bead of sweat cross his face as he was unsure of what was waiting for him in the gloom. Then there was silence…for another split second. Before a flash lit up the gloom, and Rossiter was thrown back. He could feel the tunnel shake as the flash grenade went off, and he fell on his back.

As he scrambled to his feet, he saw the tunnel had completely collapsed in front of him, blocking the passage to the security forces. Damn. He would have to go all the way back to control and figure this out, find out if there was another way… He was safe for now, although Rossiter realized he would never really know what had been lurking in the darkness. Breathing heavily, he instead walked back out of the cave, towards the jeeps.

Muldoon fired the shell, the bullet impacting the raptor directly in the eye and out the other side. It fell down, and Muldoon jumped out of the way as the dead animals began to smash the eggshells around it in its dying throes. He stepped forward, but then stopped again, as he heard screams and shouts, realized that would be company come to call. He reached into his pocket. Four-five shells. Not nearly enough, but he would have to take it. He loaded the SPAS-12 as he ran, feeling like a hunted animal as he knew he would never make the exit in time. Not with the raptors or security between him. It would be one or the other, he realized…gritting his teeth. Then as he reached the support beams the idea came to him. He turned around, just as the first men came out of the passageway.

He turned to his left, and shot the beam dead center, it visibly began to crack. Splintering at the very base. He heard it groan as it was unable to support the weight of the entire ceiling. As he aimed for the second one, the nearest security officer charged him, or maybe he was just trying to leave. Muldoon grabbed his vest, and used his leverage and the butt of the rifle to slam him into the beam, hard. He could feel the beam snap under the weight. The raptors were starting to come out now…and he could see that several of them were jumping on the surviving security men. One turned towards him, as he shot the other beam, but he saw it in the corner of his eye. Ducking to the floor, the raptor slammed into the other beam, completely knocking the already stressed wood to the floor.

Suddenly there was a roaring sound as the roof suddenly caved in, drowning out the screeches and shouts of men and raptors caught in the sudden collapse. Muldoon jumped back, avoiding the initial impact as he could see clearly now. There was a small gap in the ceiling, and light shone through, of course too high up to climb… But he could see now, there was a heavy pile of rubble where a clear passageway once stood. There was no getting around that, he knew that much and there would be no time to. Three pairs of eyes shone in the darkness, he saw as several raptors began to get up. He checked his shells, two left. Three raptors. Not enough. Not in the slightest. The hell with it, he thought as he took a step forward, acutely aware that the sound of the soldier's screams had stopped with the rubble.

Muldoon carefully walked in a semicircle, the raptor's eyes glowing in the dark as they followed him. They snarled, stalking him like a cat to a canary. With the bead of sweat running down the side of his head, he knew he had been all too comfortable being the canary. He took a breath, and readied himself before the attack came, because it would come-The first one slammed right into him, its claws raking his arms and side, and he cried out in pain. He slammed the butt down hard on its head, catching the second one in the neck just as it charged. The raptor gurgled once, and fell down, choking on its own blood as it spasmed. One down, but he had one more shell left. He groaned as he was thrown back by the weight of the first raptor as it charged him again, almost dropping his rifle.

He could see the third raptor just watching him. Waiting. After what had happened to its packmate. Let it wait, he knew what the outcome was. He grunted in pain. The raptor was biting his arm now, its teeth like razors as they dug into his flesh trying to saw his arm off. It was bleeding like hell…in the darkness Muldoon couldn't see, only the light of the eyes, but it was enough. He aimed his rifle, keeping his arm still despite the pain. "Lights out," He muttered under his breath as he buckled his leg, forcing the raptor closer as he lifted the shotgun with the other hand, aiming between the two dots of light. The effect was immediate as the raptors brains splattered all over him. Before he could even react, the Raptor jerked in its death throes, one leg kicking out and slashing him across the belly.

Muldoon stumbled forward, dropping his gun as he stepped over the dead animal. The last one stood at a distance, watching him. Waiting for him to die…he stumbled forward, as if searching for the exit although he knew that would be in vain. The rocks were nestled in tightly, he realized, even if he were not injured it would be hours…and he did not even have minutes. He turned, hearing the snarl behind him and he scrambled in the darkness, lunging with his spent energy. The raptor leaped, landing right behind him. No …he thought as he crawled searching for it….his hands closing on something in the darkness even as the raptor stalked closer to him.

He could see it, sickle claw raised high, ready for the killing blow. His hand closed over something in the darkness, and he smiled, turning over. Yes, all the guards were dead….but he had been hoping that some would be partially exposed. In the darkness, a weapon lay on the floor, that he could only hope was loaded. But no time. It was on him. Biting scratching, he could feel it, going for his throat… He held the gun, pressing down on the trigger. It felt like an explosion the three short bursts as he fired the rifle directly at the raptor. Point-blank. There was a smell like burnt flesh as the animal rolled off of him, and Muldoon tried to get up-kicking the gun aside. He groaned, realizing now the full extent of his injuries.

Only now he saw how severe they were…as there was a hole in the ceiling letting the daylight in. He could see…it was impossible to climb up, just high enough to taunt him with the world outside and shed light on his situation. He was bleeding everywhere, his leg was torn up bad, and he could see his arm and shoulder…his shirt…was one big mess of red, and getting redder by the second. He could feel himself feeling faint. But he could not help but be satisfied, as the three raptors lay dead around him. He was no fool though, they had accidently stopped one nest, it was only a matter of time before his effort here was made futile. Pointless. Maybe not, he thought as he felt his head swimming in the gloom as he tried to pull himself up further. Not happening.

At least he had managed to take a few of these Biosyn bastards with him. Less for Levine and Finn to worry, about, he thought as he realized there was a lightness on his chest. He knew what it was, and took a deep breath. He looked around, seeing crushed eggshells everywhere through his hazy vision. No energy to crush the rest, and it wouldn't matter. at least for this nest. He sighed. Finn had a long journey ahead of him, although Muldoon had figured out in these past minutes one of the biggest mysteries that had so confused him. He looked around, the stench of rotting meat filling his nostrils as he wondered how long it would take until Finn figured it out for himself as well. He realized he would never know why or how Levine had gotten mixed up in this.

There was a soft mewling, and Muldoon felt his blood run cold as he turned. Out from the piles of rotting carcasses in a corner was something moving. The light revealed what emerged. Juvenile, he thought as more came out…three…four…five. Probably hiding in the darkness during the fight. Not making a sound. But they stepped over the broken bodies of the adults, their eyes glowing in the dark. Muldoon tried to get up, and found that he could not. His legs would not hold. They came closer, and Muldoon saw them. More developed then infant but not yet much bigger then compy. Big enough, he realized. Then as they advanced, he tried to kick one away, but missed. It simply leaped to the side and looked up at him, and he knew.

He had always known it would be someday. Even back in Africa. He had survived Nublar. Ismaloya. But one look at these eyes as they glowed in the dark, surrounding him…he knew. His time was up here just twenty-thirty miles from the border. As the juvenile raptors leaped, Muldoon tried to yell, but found no strength left. He had lost too much blood, he was still in a daze. The first raptor stepped forward, landing on his leg, darting up his body, looking back at its companions. When Muldoon did not move, the second, and then the third followed. As they began to feed, Muldoon opened his mouth to scream.

But then he couldn't.


	31. The Race

Finn and Levine quickly ran out of the reach of the collapsing cave. The dust had barely settled, and they both looked at each other, and then at the passageway, which was now completely blocked. There was no significant opening at all that they could see, nor were there any signs of the raptors. Finn immediately rushed to the debris, and began trying to lift some of the rocks. Levine hesitated for a moment, watching the man sweat as he tried to move them. He used this moment to catch his breath, aware that the immediate danger was out of the way. Muldoon…he had finally seen him again, briefly, he was aware. He was well aware of the close call they had just escaped from, but was also more then well aware that there was still danger lurking out there.

But first there was the matter of this man, who was going to get both of them…he grabbed Finn by the shoulder, gently. Finn swatted him away, trying to get the rubble out, although it was clear that it was tightly packed. There was no way that they would be able to get it out, it would take days…and they had minutes. Maybe lesss, he thought. In this place it was clear that there were several instabilities, that Finn had been right about the anomalies, but there was something else, something that was bothering him as well, as he tugged again, this time being pushed back with a scowl. No, now was the time he thought as he looked to his right and left, empty for now…the immediate threat gone, but no time to calculate the effects of that.

He grabbed Finn, shaking him. "He's Gone, Finn! We don't have time to save him, and even if he's somehow alive in there…there's probably raptors in there, we don't have ti-" He staggered back as he felt a punch to his jaw, Finn standing there facing him breathing heavily. Confused, he looked up, watching the man turn away, continuing to try to remove the rubble. He was about to grab him again, when he saw something a distance away. He squinted, it was difficult to make out, but he saw it as he drew nearer. It was a human figure, no….more then that. He realized who it was. Rossiter. Staggering up the slope, towards the jeep. He was alone but he knew that if they wasted time here, they wouldn't be. So he knew what had to be done. Grabbing Finn, he tackled him to the side, turning him to the side so that he could see what he did.

Finn saw it. He pushed Levine off of him with disgust, and stepped forward. ****ing coward. So what. Let them come, let them try and take them in…these people were responsible for the death of a good man as far as he was concerned. But he knew … if they stayed here then no one would ever know about Muldoon's death. His life's work in finding anomalies would go to waste. Even though he now knew somewhat the origin of them, it did not make him any less determined. He sighed, and turned towards Levine….taking a breath as he saw the man stagger up the incline from this distance. He was tempted for a second, but then he thought about the jeeps.

"**** you, Levine." He said softly as he kicked the pile of rubble and staggered upwards, not caring if Levine followed. The incline and the path were less steep going back, this time because they had much different incentive to get back as quickly as possible. No dinosaurs encountered which was just as well, because Finn just wanted to get the hell out of here. Coming here had been a mistake, letting Muldoon talk him into coming here had been a mistake…they had walked into this place without realizing what it was, and now Muldoon had paid for this tactical mistake with his life. And the man who complained and did nothing was alive….he sighed, controlling himself. Telling himself that no matter what Levine said, once they were at the jeep, they would just drive to the exit and leave. No stopping at any control room no matter what Levine said.

Just getting the hell out of here, he thought as he ran, that was probably going to be the best idea all around so far. It was not the most glamourous, but it would get them out of here in one piece. As they ran, Finn did not stop to look at the scenery, as he was positive that it would only slow them down. And if Levine could catch up, that was great. But he knew that with their weapon gone in the rubble that they would likely have to think with their wits in getting to the car. They had no idea if Rossiter had a gun-it was very likely and he did not want to chance it. Turning to look, he could see the man also running at a distance. They had been noticed, and he was gaining on them quickly. Finn knew then that they would have to be very careful about how they handled it. No wasted time.'

They could see the road, the curvature of the slope was near, and the safehouse was to the side. It was steep but they could make it…but then he felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned. Levine was tugging him back, and he turned. Rossiter was also frozen some distance away, staring upwards. The three of them staring upwards at the road, in sheer disbelief at what they saw. The Rex turned to face them just then, staring down at the three humans who had unintentionally disturbed its feasting. From its jaws they saw a human hand dangling, and as they watched the large animal threw back its head and swallowed the rest. Lowering its head again, it roared in defiance at them.  
"Oh. ****." Muttered Levine.

Rossiter was paralyzed. He had not expected this to happen in a million years. What he had thought was that it would be easy to catch up to the pair, then restrain them long enough for him to call in backup. It should have been easy, since backup was right back at the road. Or so he had thought. Clearly that was not the case as he watched the Tyrannosaur gulp down what could only be the remains of his security men. Never mind what the hell the thing was doing out of its range…he had left at least two security men up here. And they were not exactly unarmed. And even then, the bunker was right there. It was not as if an animal this size could easily sneak up on them, not at all. So he was at a loss for words, powerless to do anything as the Rex sneered down at them.

But there was still the bunker. And he still had his weapon. He thought. Turning to look at the other men, he realized they were in range. He could do it, he thought. Shoot them, distract the Rex, and make haste for the bunker. Then wait it out. It would be that simple, he was sure of it. Not even the Rex could take that bunker down, he was sure of it, it had been designed that way, to be sturdy against any contingency such as this one that he was facing right out his weapon, he aimed it at the men. They both saw him, but did not move, not a single muscle. He was tired, to be honest. Tired of chasing these people around, and that the grand opening had been ruined. Time to end it, he thought.

Aiming down the sights, his finger was on the trigger, almost pressed it. Take them both and then he would be in the bunker. Safe. He took a breath. There was a sudden shot. He staggered, his arm going limp as he held his shoulder. The gun dropped, from limp hands as he dropped his gun. Turning, he saw Karen standing on the ridge by the bunker. She lowered the gun as they all heard a low growl from above. The Rex was staring at them, and slowly started turning towards the source of the noise. She stood motionless for a second, then raced back towards the bunker, where it would be safe. With a roar, the Rex followed, leaving the path as it chased after this apparent intrusion on its territory.

Levine and Finn wasted no time in using this distraction to get moving. Racing towards Rossiter before he could recover, Finn punched the man in the jaw, sending him reeling back. Diving down, Levine grabbed the gun and assisted Finn in pushing Rossiter away. As the two men managed to disarm him, they quickly abandoned the man and ran upwards as fast as they could. They needed to reach the jeep, but were not going to let themselves be assaulted from behind after their narrow escape. Being careful not to get too close to the Rex, they reached the jeep with ease. Finn got in the front seat, but then saw to his horror, there was no key. Dashboard…no key. Then they turned, realizing the Rex was there, behind them.

Karen wondered what the hell the two men were doing still in the car. They should have realized by now that the key wasn't in there…they really should have. The keys were in the other car, that she had taken Finn in, and the very least he should remember that. The car in front, she thought Rossiter had the key, but that might not matter now. She couldn't see him now, it was out of the range of the window. But she could see the Rex, which was now advancing on the men. It was beginning to growl as it closed the distance, the two men still sitting, apparently frozen. Damn. If they got killed, she would have shot her boss for nothing. But she could not just stand there and let Rossiter kill them…something inside her just couldn't.

Turning, she looked around, seeing if there was anything she could use. The gun…that had worked once, and she knew that attempting to fire directly at the Rex she could hit the men. That wouldn't work. It would not work at all, she realized and so there had to be another way. Turning, she saw there was a box on the side of the wall near the medical kit. Opening it, she took out what she was looking for. A flare. Two jeeps. Two keys…. And she needed to be in the right one. Even if it meant having to be in it with these two. She took a look back out, the Rex was almost there, in a few seconds it would be too late. She couldn't leave the park if Rossiter got to the control room first, and so that's why she was doing this. Not for them. For herself.

Taking the flares out, she opened the door, watching the Rex advance on the car. Rossiter was not in sight, but she didn't care. Breaking the flare, she held it high, and shouted something. She could not remember what it was, only that the Rex immediately turned in her direction, and growled. She gulped, as the huge animal turned towards her, beginning to lumber in her general direction. It was fast for such a big animal, she thought vaguely as she stood for a second. Then she realized that if she did not move, she would die very quickly. So she turned, and ran towards the other car. Roaring very loudly, the Rex gave chase, as she ran like hell. Not stopping, she could turn her head and see it right behind her.

The flare…she thought as it advanced towards her, she looked and it was still lighting in her hand. She ran to the side of the road, seeing the dirt road drop off a bit at the edge. Now or never, she thought, as she threw it off the side. The Rex stopped by the side of the road briefly as it watched the flare go over, and she did not waste time. Jumping to the side, landing beside the car. She rolled underneath the car, as she clambered to the other side. Getting up again, she saw the Rex was still distracted. Getting into the driver's seat, she quickly checked the dashboard for the spare. She had been distracted last time, and had forgotten about it. There it was, she thought as she inserted the key and….it failed to start. The rex was till right there…and that's all she saw. The key wouldn't start. And it was too close…she tried again. This time the engine sputtered a second before stopping. Damn, was the engine overheated?

But the noise had attracted the Rex. It started turning its head, right in her direction. It saw her, she realized. And it would do something about it… As it began walking slowly towards her ,she tried the key again and again and…it was about to start picking up speed, but just then the engine fired to life. Sighing, she floored the pedal and raced towards the Rex. Just hoping against hope that it would be enough. It should be enough, or so she hoped as she met the Rex head on with the jeep.

"What the hell is she doing," Finn murmured under his breath as he watched the Rex move away from them. He had thought they were going to die for a second there. That thing was huge. As tall as a bloody building, and he had known in that second that there was no way he could outrun something like that. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and nowhere to go. The only option it seemed was to hope it did not notice you, and even then he had his doubts about that. He could still feel his heart beating almost out of his chest as he turned to Levine. "We should go…get out of here…"

"Where the **** would we go?" Levine countered, gritting his teeth. They were stuck in a car without keys and the only way to safety was back into the bunker. And he had no idea how they would even get there without dying. It was a dead end…yet it seemed…he watched the woman try it, wondering for a second if she would make it. He realized what she was doing…taking a breath. "Damn, she is going to do it after all," he said shaking his head. "Bloody fool, she is going to get herself killed like that…" he began to step out, pulling Finn's hand to stand up when he realized what her real plan was. "Oh shit…she's coming right for us." Indeed, the Rex had not expected that either, and was giving a roar of defiance…. Trying to block the road, but Levine could see she was not going to make it…

It was going to be a very close thing, that was for sure he thought as the Rex moved suddenly towards them. It lunged at the Car, roaring at them as it did so. There was a sudden swerve as the vehicle just barely missed, and for a second it looked as if the car would tip over on its side. But it did not, although it required the vehicle to temporarily veer out of the way. He knew that by the time it was here it would be too late, and so he grabbed Finn, indicating to them to jump, and jump now- as they both lept off of the jeep into the oncoming car, hoping against hope that they would not fall into the dust-

The rex roared and Karen Sellers could barely keep the jeep straight even as she was trying to avoid being immediately killed by the Rex. She was forced to veer to the right-almost off the road. The teeth snapped somewhere behind her, she could see it on the side mirror, it was very obvious…that she had escaped death by mere seconds, but it was apparent that it could still happen. With a heave, the jeep veered off of the path, the weight of the car dipping, for a split second threatening to tip down the hill, overturn the car. Spinning the wheel, she put all her force to turn the car the opposite direction. It seemed like it would not work, as if the car would be driven back down the hill, and yet even then the Rex was already making a lunge for the side where it could easily knock it over-

The car righted itself, almost reversing but managing to stop it in time. Flooring the gas, she barely saw the men as they jumped from the jeep, attempting to save themselves. She would not stop for them, she knew that. But the jeep did swerve a bit towards, and there was a thump as Levine fell in the backseat, followed shortly by the stranger. She floored it, watching the Rex roar as it followed them, not willing to be cheated out of its prey so easily. The jeep exited the zone with as much acceleration as the engine could allow, with the animal in hot pursuit.

The hill was silent, except for one figure crawling up the slope. Half-hidden, Rossiter had hidden himself under the brush during the attack. Seeing the Rex pursuing the jeep, he looked up, at the solitary jeep. Keys in hand, he smiled. He would get this park back in business yet.


	32. Flight

Karen Sellers had her foot pressed firmly on the gas pedal, determined that she would not let go, not for anything…. Looking briefly in the rearview mirror, she could see the Rex roaring. Very close now, she knew that they were not out of danger, not by any means whatsoever. It was still very possible that the Rex would catch up to them, that thing was huge, but it was also fast. Pretty damn fast. She had seen for herself how fast it could be, back in the planning stages. Once it smelled meat, it was there, ran it right down…never stopped for anything. That had been something to see indeed a worthy challenge to whichever poor soul forked over his money for the privelege of hunting the only T-rex in the World….

She could see it was gaining. She was pressing the pedal, but it didn't matter. It would run them right down. Tip them over, and pick them off at its leisure. She looked ahead. They weren't far enough gone yet. Not close enough to a garage, they would never make it. Furthest she thought probably maybe halfway. If they were lucky. Which they weren't going to be, since this was flat country, and right now there were not going to be distractions. None at all. She looked in the rearview mirror again, saw the men sitting up. Not going to help…at…she thought of something, maybe they wouldn't be so useless after all. She threw her gun to the side, on the front seat.

"Don't just sit there-shoot her!" Karen yelled at the men as she swerved to the right. Hopefully that would make it move, she was hoping to try to get in between a pylon or something which would hopefully get it to stop chasing them. However, the fact that the Rex got up to the prior zone at all had her doubting the effectiveness of the security system. She looked up at her rearview mirror, confirming a few things. One, the Rex was still gaining, two…Levine had grabbed the gun, and three….he was still trying to aim. Bloody fool, she thought. He was going to get them all killed. They were going as fast as they could. And it was not nearly enough. They weren't going to make it…

Levine could feel his hand trembling as he took the gun in his hand, facing the Rex. It was still charging towards them, and he was trying to rationalize why it had not stopped pursuing them. Right now, he was too scared, and Finn next to him looked like he was about to pass out. Understandable. The man had never imagined something like this before. The rex roared, its breath stinking even from here. He knew it could catch them. The gun looked pitifully small in his hand as he realized he didn't even know how many bullets were still in it. Damn. Very few chances, he thought as he looked up, raising the gun. Steady, steady a missed bullet could cost them their lives he knew.

He pulled the trigger, the gun bucking in his hands, he nearly dropped it, but found his arm steadied at last second. Turning, he saw Finn staring at him, his hand on his arm, helping him hold it steady. Levine nodded as he looked back, but the Rex was still coming. It had not slowed, even as they began nearing a row of pylons. Levine began to breathe in, hoping this would work. If they managed to get to an intact sonic fence, they might be able to elude the animal long enough to reach an exit. It was worth a shot… he thought as they drove nearer. Then he raised the gun again, almost about to take another shot, this time at the head. But before he could do so, he heard another sound. An engine.

Karen looked in the rearview mirror, and she saw it. The other jeep, and it was gaining fast. She didn't need to see, she knew who was driving it. And it was also edging along the lines of the pylons. But to her horror, she realized it wasn't on their side, it was on the other. The rex had not noticed it, and that was why Rossiter was gaining on them from that side. Because he could afford to make that move. As she watched, Rossiter maneuvered the car closer and closer to their side, and she knew what he was trying to do. Cut them off from getting through a pylon, and trap them on the side with the rampaging Rex. Damn.

They had no time already and now it seemed like there was even more pressure. She grit her teeth, upon realizing they couldn't escape the rex. If they couldn't get through, where were they going to go? She thought about it… and realized something. Open country….Rex, sure. But what was she missing? She could hear the men yelling at her to go faster, and it was driving that needed thought out of her mind. She sought it again as she looked up in the rearview mirror, and saw the Rex's open mouth reflected. What was it….oh. It was right in front of her, she realized upon seeing the jaws reflected in that mirror.

Not in this zone….she realized but Zone 1. The Carnotaur. If this thing was truly determined, they would have to distract it. But first they needed to get rid of Rossiter. She turned her head, towards the men, having a better idea. "Don't waste bullets on the Rex! Trust me, it won't even feel it….what else do you see that you could use?" She waited for a second for them to get it. And then the look on their face when they got it. Yes, she did not mean for it to come to this but they would have to. To survive. And that's what it took sometimes, she thought….survival was the ultimate goal.

Levine got it. And rather quickly too as he turned and handed the gun over to Finn, who was closer. Finn took it in hand, the weight feeling unfamiliar on his hand. Even after the traumatic events of today, it still felt so odd having a gun in his hand again. It seemed so long ago that he had actually been a private detective, before he had gotten sidetracked into this. This sideshow that had consumed the past few years, and led ultimately to this point. He was being chases by a beast straight of of nightmare, and he did not know how his sanity was still screwed on tight. And now, even more so as he stared at the pursuing dinosaur, he was going to aim this thing not at the dinosaur trying to kill them all, but at a fellow human being. Well…not exactly, he thought as he turned and aimed the gun.

The car was not exactly going slow, and so he felt that the gun seemed very unsteady in his hand. The roaring of the dinosaur behind him mixed in with Levine's yells….it all interfered with his concentration as well. He knew he had to make sure that he did not get drawn off course or anthing. It was absolutely imperative that he was not.. The jeep on the other side still kept close to the pylons, by all sense it was not close to them…but just maneuvering just enough to block their entrance to the other side. And he knew what he had to do, as he trained his eye, the sweat running down as he took a breath, careful not to let any momentary lapse. And he pulled the trigger.

Rossiter kept his foot on the gas, his other eye fixed on the jeep. He could breathe since he was not being chased, the fence separating him. The rex could not reach him here, and he knew it. All he needed to do he thought was prevent them from reaching the gate. They must be prevented from leaving the park, by any means necessary. However it seemed now luck was on his side, and that he had his work significantly reduced. If he could just keep the jeep from entering to the other side he was sure that would be enough. Open country, the rex would run the jeep right down. No survivors, and he would not have to get his hands dirty. Probably better this way, easier to write off.

Too bad about Ms. Sellers, not a bad looking broad but she had made her choice. His shoulder still smarted where she had shot him. A cushy job, and she had thrown it all away. And she would not leave here either, he was sure of that. He may not have a gun, but he was sure that he would make sure that the rest of the security team was down here in short order. They would get things sorted out right, he was positive on that one. There was going to be hell to pay, and Karen Sellers was going to find out what happened when you stuck it to your boss. It was going to be clean, efficient he was sure of that, and it was going to happen no matter what. He clenched his hold on the steering wheel, taking a look back.

One of them was looking his way, he didn't like that look. He was about to try to drive to the side when a shot rang out. What? A metal ricochet told him that the bullet had hit the side of the jeep. Aiming at him now? They knew what he was trying to do…but he was not going to let go so easily. He swerved the jeep sharply…towards the pylons. That gun only had a set amount of bullets, and would soon run out. Their last ditch plan would fail, he thought to himself as he maneuvered the car attempting to collide. If the shooter could not keep up with him, they would likewise fail in their attempts to get him to crash. He was sure that they would not try to shoot a moving target if it was erratic. Another shot, he spun the wheel determined not to let them have the slightest advantage.

What did they possibly think that they were going to accomplish? He would reach a garage first, he would lock it, and then he would have the upper hand. None of them would leave. He was going to-he heard a hissing sound and turned his head as he saw the fuel pressure gauge on his dashboard suddenly became erratic. The hell was this? And suddenly he knew. Looking ahead, he saw the zone divider, there it was. Zone two. They were close by now, so close to the garages. He could not let that happen…he knew though, the tire was gone. That sound had been a bullet piercing it, and if he did not do something soon, he would be stranded. Yes, but there was still one thing he had in mind.

He turned, and looked, and his eyes went wide. The long grass, he had not realized he was so close, so engrossed had he been with obsessing over the bullets being fired at the car. He was unable to stop the car due to how fast it was going, as well as the air rapidly hissing out of the tire as the car attempted to stop. He couldn't see if there was anything either and so the car skilled as it flattened the grass, the arupt transition between the different zones making it increasingly more difficult to gain any sort of traction in this rough terrain. The wheel spun as he tried to regain control however it was extremely difficult.

The bullet hit, and the tire was blown. "Good shooting boys," Karen Sellers remarked as she looked up.

Long Grass ahead. The other car she could see was careening out of control, and that meant it was their opportunity. She sweved the car between the pylons just in time, right as the Rex was catching up. The car managed to drive in between seemingly barely in the nick of time. The Rex roared as it stopped at the edge of the pylons. It was shaking slightly but it did not attempt to cross. It's angry bellow could be heard ringing in her ears as she drove. It had been cheated out of its prey….the rage was very palpable. She did not want to stick around to see if it had the temerity to break through the pylon fence in its current state. It probably could.

"Okay boys, sit tight," she said as she watched the other jeep careen through the long grass. She needed to get to a garage now, they all did. That would enable them to get out of here. "Doing all right?" she looked back at them, seeing they both looked shaken. Levine looked numb, but the other guy looked like he was scared shitless. "You can give me back the gun now," she said as she was driving. She heard it drop in the front seat and nodded. "Should be back in a few minutes. We just need to make sure that we get there before Rossiter does." It really should be a piece of cake, she thought as she drove through the long grass, taking some breaths to be sure that there was nothing chasing them.

Still, she looked ahead and saw the familiar shine of the garage door in the distance. They could make it, she thought as she drove towards it. She was extremely tired and just wanted to be done with today. She imagined the men also wanted to finish up here, as they all drove towards the locale. However it did not seem that it was going to be so easy, as scarcely seconds later she heard a low hum. "Shit, you did not…" she looked to her side and saw the other car. It was Rossiter, speeding the Jeep towards them. She realized he intended to ram them, flip the car over. No…she looked around and then smiled as she suddenly swerved the car. The car swered over ninety degrees, she could feel the resistance from the grass…but it held.

Turning she could see it, a disturbance in the grass barely noticeable. Nothing she could see, but where the grass was parted was enough. Right behind where she had been before, yes that would do very well for now. The jeep careened by her, unable to stop as it zoomed past. Karen paused as she watched the other jeep barrel forward. It slammed into something not immediately visible, and she saw what it was at the animal got up. The triceratops was now visible, as it had been lying down amid the tall grass. Was not supposed to be in this zone but it was anyway… She was not surprised at this point, as she saw the Trike stare Rossiter right in the eye.

Then it shook its head, catching the rim of the other jeep in its grip as it did so. The jeep immediately tipped over, Rossitter yelling as he fell out into the grass. That was Karen's cue not to stick around too long. She knew how these animals could be, very unpredicatable and right now was one of these times that she would not want to say she pissed one of them off. They needed to get to the exit as well, she thought as she drove towards the parking garage, ready to get out of there.

It was about time, and if she never saw another dinosaur in her life that would be too soon. These two knuckleheads in the back, if they had never showed up she would still have a job, she thought shaking her head.

"Ready to go home?" She said as they neared the parking garage, she turned on the remote and the door slid open. A hand was on her shoulder as she was about to get out. "No, we are not…not yet," Levine was saying. "There is problems in this park, fundamental problems. And these problems a re going to implode to the other animals….." he looked at Finn, who just shrugged and nodded. She looked at them both like they were crazy. "If you want to stay and look around, be my guest because I am not going to wai-"

She ducked just in time as something flew right by her. It landed on the rearview mirror. Dark, wet…and sticky…. What the hell? She looked up as an animal suddenly lifted its head up from the grass. It hooted like an owl. That was not one of their animals…she thought confused. Just then, there was another thing flying, and when it splattered on the side mirror she realized. It was spitting at them…. She was completely numb as to what was going on and fumbled for the gun. "Forget the Gun," Levine yelled as he and Finn jumped out…we need to get out! She grabbed the gun just as the animal charged forward and she jumped back.

She shot at it a few times as they made their retreat into the garage. She tried to close the door, but it was coming too fast. Only one thing to do. Damn. The gun was almost out of bullets she could tell. Nowhere to run as they would not get the other door open in time. Side doors open, but….would it be from one fire to another? Immediately caught by security or eaten alive? The animal was almost out of the grass, and she could see it was about the size of the carnotaur, two frills on top of its head and it was advancing slowly. Oh hell, she thought as she took the last bullet.

And shot at the emergency alarm system on the ceiling.


	33. Belly of the Beast

Finn and Levine backed away in a corner as they saw the woman use up the last shot. She threw the gun away, backing up towards them. Finn looked back, seeing the truck he had arrived in, but that would not provide shelter. Not for the three of them, for any length of time. He felt the sweat roll down his face as the Dilophosaur advanced. Its neck forward, it was no longer running. Instead, it was stalking them now. It had them cornered. It knew that, knew that its prey knew that. Now it was toying with them, he realized. They were going to die here…. there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Finn tried to back up further, and found himself against the wall. Levine he could see was looking under the car, trying to see if there was space.

There was none. And then the Dilophosaur hissed again, the trio ducked as the spit landed in front of them. And then there was the noise. That goddamned infernal racket that was drowning out almost all other sound. The din made it impossible to concentrate, and his ears ringing. The alarm really was overpowering in its vigor. There was no answer though…no one to answer the call. And Finn found he couldn't think, even as the predator approached them. Closer now it was, ever closer to them. It set its head back, preparing to spit again. Finn jumped backwards, feeling his flesh burn as the dark black goop landed on his shirt. It was incredibly sticky and he could feel his fingers tingle as the goop burned away at his skin.

He grabbed desperately at the handle of a door next to him, the one he had seen security come out of last time. Locked. Completely locked. The woman pushed him aside, took what looked like a string of keys out of her pocket and began trying the lock. Finn was looking behind as he saw the animal advance. At least he thought he did, but his attention was also distracted by looking backwards, trying to see if she could get the lock open. It seemed to be taking forever, as if each key were an hour. One key seemed to be clicking though, "hurry up, hurry up….damn you!" Was it stuck? He turned to look and was suddenly spit at again by the animal.

It was really as if he were watching his death in slow motion, he thought. After all he had experienced today, he would be killed by the very animal he had brought here. What an irony. The woman and Levine were both yelling, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. The Dilophosaur stepped towards him, bowling him over as he fell onto the cement. Levine tried to get him, but was stopped by the Dilophosaurs snarl in his direction. Finn looked up, as the dinosaur opened its jaws….ready for the end. He closed his eyes, waiting for the moment, oblivious to the screams of the others through the din.

Then nothing….there was a yelp, and he looked up. The Dilophosaur was looking away from them now. There was more yelling now, he could see but it was not from the others. Footsteps too, a door being slammed… He looked up through the fog of a man on his last legs. It really was almost impossible to get up now, but he could still see it. The door was open, there was shouting now, more shouting. Footsteps, about three or four….gunfire…..yes. He felt the heaviness of the weight off of him as the animal leaped off of him. His clothes were torn in a dozen places, but he got up, helped up by Levine and the woman as he staggered upright.

He turned, he could see them. Three or four security around the animal,trying to get it out. They were pressing a button, it didn't make sense but….they seemed to think it would work. He couldn't stay and watch, as they were going through the door now, he could see the long hallway ahead of them. "This way leads to the control room," She was saying, as Sellers was in front of them, and then turned back. She was trying to close the door. Just then one of the security men made a break for the door. She tried to close it, there was a struggle and then- She fell backward. Levine and Finn turned to help her…get her to her feet. He looked up, the security guard was on his back, the Dilophosaur had his head in his jaws…beyond that there were the two others. Writhing on the ground, the black slime completely covering their faces.

The door was ajar. The man's leg was propping it open. Karen Sellers looked at them horrified. "Just run," she said as she began running down the hall. Finn ran too, a desperation giving energy to him as he followed her lead along with Levine. He understood. They were not safe here either, that lent speed to them. No time for useless words, after all they needed to make sure that they had enough breath for the effort it would take to get to some modicum of safety. He didn't know this place, did not know where was safe here, but she did. And right now, they had to rely on that for now, hope that would be enough. He had a feeling it would not be nearly enough but for now he had to know that he would try.

As if she knew what they were thinking, an answer was quickly forthcoming. "Control room, just ahead. Has a deadbolt door, and a radio." Made sense, they thought as they turned the corner again. It was madness. They were actually inside of the structure after being out in the 'park' for up to now and they were still running. Finn couldn't dwell on it now, even as they passed by signs indicating lounge areas or cafeteria. He could even hear hear the sound of people talking. Were there people still working? Probably there were, he realized as he breathed out. Did they have time to warn them? Probably not. Otherwise they might become one of the victims.

He swallowed as he could see the control room in the distance. There were people here, they passed them by. Confused, scared, just normal people about the business of this place. But they could hear the alarm too, but did not know what it was about. There was no time to alert them either, as the snarl was heard throughout the room. It was inside the building, probably drawn to the sound of the many people. That was for sure, Finn thought as they made it to the control room door. Again, standing there with the other employees watching them. Wondering why they were so scratched, dirty. Bruised. No time to explain. At all, he thought as Karen frantically dialed the code for the control room.

Karen was frustrated. And tired. Neither of which was working in her favor as she tried to remember the code. She remembered this room had the option of a key card or the code, and right now she couldn't remember it. It must have been the result of all of the running today, but it had completely slipped her mind. It did not help either that there was lots of chatter in the hallway, her co-workers asking questions, talking among themselves…the din of the alarm as well, all adding to the confusion. It was not good for trying to get things done, and she knew that more then anyone probably at this point.

She tried again, this time realizing that she was running out of time. It wasn't the animal she was worried about, she thought. It was the panic that would ensue. This hallway had no lockable doors except for a few closets which were not enough to fit everyone. She tried not to think about it, but even now she realized that it was something that had crossed her mind. These people, that she had worked with….they were going to be out in the open. But she couldn't warn them. The control room wouldn't fit that many, she knew that. So there had to be a choice, she thought, and that was to try to get in before everyone else realized what was wrong-she looked back, hearing some concerned shouts from further down the hall. The animal was in the building allright, she thought. But still far down that probably one or two people had seen it.

She turned, suddenly having a thought as she saw one of the technicians coming back from the lab, with a coffee. Her keycard on her lanyard….split second decision, she thought. She turned, quickly just as a loud shriek came from the hallway. Yes, there was no more time…she thought as she grabbed the lanyard, yanking the keycard free from the clip and causing the person to spill the coffee. Well, it was not that important now, there was a matter of life and death, and right now she knew that it was a luxury to worry about other people, when she was trying to save herself…. She took the keycard from the distracted person and pushed them against the wall in her desperation. Everyone else was staring down the hall so they completely missed out in that moment.

"Follow behind me quick," Karen Sellers hissed to Levine and Finn as she quickly swiped the card, hearing the click on the control room. She held it open as Finn and Levine ran inside, then closed it behind her. She quickly turned the lock, and sighed. She stood there panting, taking deep breaths as they were out of the fire for now, at least she thought they were . They were safe for now, even as she heard shouts outside. The control room was nearly empty, everyone must have been on their lunch break, she saw. There was only one or two people there, and there were some monitors free. As they walked through, she could see the situation outside on the monitor screens. It showed each of the zones, animals wandering out of containment….

The Rex could be seen on the monitors walking through the grass by the twin lakes. It was pursuing a herd of Parasaurs, which seemed visibly agitated. The open garage door could be seen on another of the monitors, and there were more then a few control room technicians looking at it and typing away furiously. Karen knew that they were probably trying to remotely close the door without having to go outside, these people probably knew what had happened. She motioned for the two men behind her to stay there while she tried to figure something out. They needed access to another garage, one that would be safer to exit through. "Stay right here, I am going to go through and see if there is an alternate way to get us out of here…"

As Karen Sellers turned away to consult with the technicians, Levine saw his chance. He sat down at one of the monitors, and began immediately looking through the files. There was something eating away at him, he thought as he looked up at the control room. He had suspected it would be organized like this, ever since Biosyn first brought him to this place. Now he needed to see for himself at least before he left what brought about this place. He could not just leave…there were multiple unanswered questions that he needed to get resolved. And he would get them resolved right away….

The directory was confusing, he thought as Finn sat beside him, both men taking a breath. But for Levine, he knew his time on this thing was limited. Probably five minutes at best, and so he wanted to get the best out of it. He punched in the general directory, looking for what he thought. He recognized the computers of course. These were the InGen computers that he had originally acquired in the days before Sorna. Somehow, BioSyn had managed to reuse them, or at least transfer the files into these. So the directory was clear, however there had been new file pathways added in the time being. "Take a look Mr. Finn," he said as the other man craned his neck to see what he was doing. "They copied the mainframe design, so that means I should be able to see it relatively easily."

They had animals here they shouldn't have, he knew that. And though the inkling of an idea had crossed his mind, he had to confirm it for himself. He followed the directory to where he knew the Nublar list was located. Yes, it was here, although these clumsy bastards had corrupted some data in the process of the transfer, yes he could see it here. Yes, definitely corrupted, he saw as he took a breath. He narrowed his eyes. Four corrupted spaces.

Total Animals: 238

Species Expected Found Ver

Tyrannosaurs | 2 | 2 4.1  
Maiasaurs | 21 2 3.3  
Corrupted File  
Triceratops | 8 | 8 3.1  
Procompsognathids 49 49 3.9  
Othnelia 16 16 3.1  
Velociraptors 8 8 3.0  
Corrupted File  
Hadrosaurs 11 11 ?  
Dilophosaurs 7 7 4.3  
Corrupted file  
Hypsilophodontids 33 33 2.9  
Corrupted file  
Styracosaurs 18 18 4.1  
Total : 238 238

Levine wiped the tiredness out of his eyes as he looked up at the general monitors again. There was something going on, he could see a large group of people gathered together, at the end of the hall beside the door. They were all looking down the hall, concerned, he could see a flurry of activity in the other monitors as others were actively running towards the door as well. The Dilophosaur was walking slowly down the hall, perhaps intimidated by the volume of the noise, but nevertheless, it was continuing its advance. He frowned, as he typed something else in, trying to think. Something wasn't right, he thought as he typed something else in. If the interface was similar to that of the InGen it should be a small matter to try a basic search…. There.  
Species: | Contained | Found| Loc:

Zone 1: Carnotaur | 1 | 1| Ismaloya  
Parasaurs | 8 | 7| AbFm

Zone 2: Tyrannosaur | 1 |1| AbFm  
Pachcephalosaurs | 0| 3 | AbFm

Zone 3: Pachycephalosaurs | 7| 4| AbFm  
Styracosaurs |9 | 9| AbFm

Zone 4: Gallimimus | 6| 5| AbFm  
Hadrosaurs | 7| 7| Ab Fm

Zone 5: Triceratops | 6| 6| AbFm  
Parasaurs |7|7| Abfm

Species: 8 Animals Contained: 52. Found: 50

Levine frowned again, as he looked up. He noticed something immediately. He noticed Finn was also staring, as if in shock or confused. "I'll explain later," he said to the man as he continued to think. "This is important though, it's going to help me figure out this place," he thought. Some things were already starting to click for him as he looked at the screen. But first, something went through his mind. Four corrupted files…four corrupted files… He realized what was wrong. The four animals here on the new park list. He knew what had originally been on the corrupted files, not these though. But the animals that were here, he remembered. Four animals…. He looked up….but one thing was coming at him, although he knew they had no time. He remembered…the irony, but there was something else. Four animals…that did not belong. Both in the park, and ones that could not be in the park, by its very design…

He shook his head, he had been too stressed. But there was something very strange. Indeed, it was all very strange but probably this was more so then most. Finn was staring at the screen, his mouth moving at the second screen. "Anomalies…Abnormality….Aberrant…." Something seemed to fly over Levine's head as he narrowed his eyes trying to think. Something he was missing. Four. Four….Anomalies, abberances… he had known it once, what was there? The puzzle was in front of him, and he just needed to piece it together. But it required time. Time he didn't have, and probably would not have for the foreseeable future. He took a deep breath, forced thimself too as he looked up. And there was something left out. Left out of the data. Anomalies…he thought as he remembered the night in the bunker. What was he thinking here…

Then they heard a bang, and realized it came from outside. The dilophosaur had reached the crowd. They were gathered up, facing had clearly made trips to the cafeteria, were armed with plates, knives, whatever they could get. He could see it now. He looked up, where Karen was she was looking up at the monitor now. She looked at him. "We need to go-now!" she said as she looked up at the screen. She was pointing to a camera that was set to another garage. It was on the opposite side, but that was not what he was focused on. The camera right outside the garage they had entered on, he was transfixed. It was right there… The grass was parting, they could see it before their eyes. The direction it was parting was right…right towards the garage. Levine felt like he was outside of himself. Wanting to shout at the screen but helpless. He looked back at the computer, still realizing they needed to go. He still had a lot of questions that needed answering, but he knew he wouldn't have time.

They needed to get to the garage to get out of here…he was frantically typing though, even as he saw the others still staring up at the monitors. The animals….where did they come from? He was trying to figure that out. They must have a facility somewhere, they didn't have it on site… so many questions he had…and he wouldn't get to figure it out. He barely had part of the answer, it was frustrating, he backed away from the computer, thinking to himself one thing. Not important. Not important, he thought as he looked up on the monitor. The crowd was chasing the Dilophosaur down the hall. It was running from them, yes it was running….he noticed that right now. If he was right, "oh god they're not going too…" He saw the other monitor. The grass was still moving towards the entrance. Shit…im aside. "I can get the garage remotely closed from here…" she was typing ast on the computer but as Finn and Levine looked the crowd had already reached the door. The Dilophosaur hooting as it stopped at the garage, as if curious.

Karen Sellers quickly tried typing in the command. She couldn't bring it up, shit…Levine had bugged up the system or something by opening too many windows and now she couldn't find the damn command to close the garage doors. She could see it from here, the Dilophosaur hooting again, as a few of her brave and foolhardy co-workers tried rushing it out. Technicians, computer geeks, that's what they were. No security. None at all. Rossiter has seemingly drained it dry when he sent the team in to chase after Finn and the other man. She shook her head. These people didn't know….Anything. They had no idea about the park. Or what they were getting involved in. She looked up, as she finally found the menu for the garage. So it paid off not sleeping during mandatory orientation of the basic systems… It really did.

She started to type it in, when she could hear the men yelling. "Will you shut up-" she began as she turned to look at them then stopped as she looked at the screen. The crowd had rushed the Dilophosaur, chased it back into the grass. For a brief moment they seemed to be cheering. However there seemed to be a hushed silence, and as she watched, the grass moved behind them. The Carnotaur uncloaked behind them, and the crowd suddenly realized it. However as she tried to do something-there were safety measures they could do, she realized something else. A man had run in the garage from the grass. Not part of the group. She realized then that an alarm was sounding. The emergency over-ride in the garage. Shit-the garage was closing. She couldn't stop it, it required a different password. She didn't have it. Oh shi- she knew who it must be.

Standing up, she grabbed the two men by the arm, leading them towards the other exit. "We're leaving-now!" she yelled as she could hear the screams of the people outside. Their screams tinny on the radio. She shut her eyes in a vain attempt to drown out their voice. It was useless as it was not going to work. However she shook her head and just kept on going. They were almost in the clear. Almost, then she could leave this job and get far away from Rossiter and Biosyn….damn. Damn, she thought as she looked at them. Saving their asses had cost her a job. And now she had to get as far away from here as it was possible. Because she knew who was coming. And he was pissed.

Rossiter watched emotionless as the garage door closed in front of him. He was not going to let his personal safety be jeopardized because of this. However, he was very good at giving a show. He yelled to his employees, encouraging them to run in his direction. They tried, oh they did he saw. But it was a bit difficult. Two dinosaurs, long grass, and a herd of confused, scared little apes. In the end, it was survival of the fittest wasn't it? That was the principle he had built this place on. As the screams died down as the door slammed shut, he turned his back on the sound of banging against metal. Looking back, he saw the car was still there.

Ms Sellers and Levine were still here? He took out his gun, having kept it in the glove compartment. Bruised, battered and a little worse for the wear, he heard the alarm still blaring. Smart, he thought as he saw the door ajar. As he turned and walked through it down the hall with his gun at his side, Jeff Rossiter smiled. That charming smile.


	34. Altered Space

Karen Sellers was frantically digging through the drawers in Rossiter's office. It had to be here, it just had to be she thought to herself. She could not think of where else the key to the jeep down there was, and that was stressing her the hell out. She knew that was the only way to get out of here, away from Rossiter, from Biosyn all of it. She just wanted this behind her, and she knew that it would not be possible if she couldn't find the damn key. They didn't have much time, five minutes…maybe less, she thought as sweat dripped down her face. Five minutes to live.

The office was less cluttered then she had thought it was going to be, although she had not had much opportunity to go up here at all. There were a lot of little things that could be hiding anywhere, in this place she knew. It was possible as well that the keys could be elsewhere. They could be-no, she shook her head and returned to the focus of the task at hand. She would find them, and get out of here, she was sure of that. Looking up, she saw Levine and Finn standing there awkwardly, unsure of what they should be doing. "Help me look!" She snapped at them, shaking her head. If she wasn't getting out, they sure as hell weren't either.

They paused, unsure…but then Karen felt just completely frustrated at the pair of them. "Look, " she said twisting the monitor on the desk 180 degrees. The cc tv monitor showed Rossiter inside the building heading toward the control room. Gun in hand. "He's inside, and we're here…so we have minutes, maybe less before he arrives. That door-" she gestured at the entrance. "Has no lock on it. So unless you have a backup plan, I suggest you help me look." She glared at them, not waiting for their reaction, there was no time to wait or waste. But there was a quick muttering as both of them immediately started to move. She just hoped it would be enough, because there was already little time.

What little time they had…it was to be carefully weighted. They were not going to be here when Rossiter came back, that was for damn sure, she thought. She turned to a wall cabinet, and shook it. Files, she thought as she jammed each one open, looking for where any hidden alcove may be. Nothing here, nothing important at least to her anymore. It was possible that there might be somewhere remote, she thought as she looked around the room. Too many places to look….There was time running out, she realized, and they still hadn't found the goddamn keys. Deep breaths, panic was not going to be the way, and right now, she wouldn't panic, she thought. No, she was not going to panic….because she thought she might know where it was located, at least knowing Rossiter, she realized it was probably-

Levine quickly scavenged through the folders as he had made a beeline directly for it. He knew that he was not going to waste any time, nor would he have any better opportunity then now. There were still so many questions, that he had and none of them made sense. But hopefully he could try and figure out enough of the puzzle pieces, because there was still something on his mind. The keys yes, important but he flipped through the folders, the breathing in his chest feeling more constrained as he felt the incredible pressure. No time…no time… He scanned the titles of the pages quickly, making sure. He felt his pulse beat as he found it, pulling the folder out.

'Asset research and analysis,' not ver presupposing but Levine knew what to look for. His experience at running a company told him that any corporation would title their project reports this, if not something extremely similar. He opened it, scanning as he felt his heart leap. Pages upon pages here, charts, analysis…dna reports. What he was holding in his hands, was the asset descriptions from every dinosaur in the park. He flipped through, not caring about what he already seen, was looking for something else. There had to be something here…something about where the animals had come from. The words from the screens in the control room echoed in his mind 'Abfm'….yes, what was that? He could see it listed here as part of the asset sheet.

Asset Identifier: Tyrannosaurus Rex.  
Specimen no: 1.  
DNA obtained from ABFm at date –redacted-  
Speciment reconstructed from tissue taken from AbFm off of the coast of Costa Rica at –redacted-. Specimen given special blend of growth hormones in order to accelerate and optimize growth.  
Warning: Specimen known to be extremely aggressive. Recommended isolation for specimen once contained in its specified zone.  
Note: Asset is highest priority as only viable dna from ABFm was destroyed upon Dna extraction.

Levine looked away at the others as he checked to see how they were doing. They were still looking, but he couldn't concentrate. He had what he needed, and finally realized what it was that had been the source of these animals. He had been wondering, but now it was not a mystery. He could figure out the rest when they were out of there, he thought as he closed the folder back as he set it in his hand. He backed up, checking the monitor to see how much time they had. They should still have a few minutes, he thought to himself as he backed up again, leaning close to the door to try to see the screen.

There was nothing on the monitor but an empty hallway, and Levine paused before he realized. His back was to the doorway, and before he could react, he could feel the door being opened outside. He quickly dropped the folder, and slammed his body weight against the door. The others looked up suddenly, realizing what had happened. "No lock on this door!" He yelled as he tried to keep it closed. He could feel his feet skidding, he couldn't keep the door closed. The force on the other side was just too strong…he couldn't stop it. "He's getting through!" He pushed back, trying to prevent Rossitter from getting in.

Karen ran to help him, just as Levine felt his foot skid. He couldn't stop it, as the door was jerked open. He saw the gun sticking through, and tried to slam it again. There was a sharp crack, and he could see her standing there for a moment as if stunned, and then falling forward. He stepped back shocked as she fell against him to the floor. The door swung open, pushing her to the side. Levine stepped over, as Rossiter entered, his gun leveled at Levine. He turned and aimed at Finn as well, who had been going through the drawers on the side. "Hands where I can see them," Rossiter said. As they began to comply, Rossiter gestured with the gun. "Slowly-center of the room." Levine looked at Finn and shrugged as they had no choice.

Rossiter had them dead to rights, and he had always thought that was a coincence. However, he could not believe in that anymore as the head of Biosyn was staring them in the face. They were now facing him, their back to the window. He could hear a chirping to the side as a glass box on the wall seemingly came to life. Compys, he could see that as he looked to the side, two of them. Almost like a fishbowl, except these things were certainly more deadly then that. They must have just awoken, and they were hopping like crazy at the sight of them and the sound of the gunshot. Damn, they were ugly up close, Levine thought.

Rossiter was glaring at them, the gun pointed at the space between the pair of them, they were too scared to move. There was a silence, a moment where they just stared at each other. Then Rossiter spoke. "It's been one hell of a day. You….you too single handedly messed up my park." He was breathing hard, but at the same time seemed prenaturnally controlled. Almost as if he were really trying not to lose control. "But its over now. I will have this park online soon, no thanks to you. All you did was stall the opening for a while, but it will open, I promise you." He smiled as he shook his head. "Everyone in the world will know what I've done here…but not that you were ever here."

There was another pause, as Rossiter gestured with the gun. "Out the door, the pair of you. Back into the park. There's two hungry therapods at the entrance, and I am sure that they won't leave any trace behind." Rossiter was surpremely confident as his captives had no choice but to obey. They began to walk out slowly, he thought it was thrilling. Seeing the fear on their faces. Also the hope they had that they could possibly survive, get to the bunker somehow. Somehow, he knew. He could still hear the screams of the employees, the look on their faces before he had closed the door on them. They were replacable. He could pick up that phone and get a whole new staff for this place by tomorrow.

This was truly a minor setback. The bitch was dead, saving him from having to fire her…. Levine and the intruder would be soon enough. Earlier he would have been satisfied with locking him up with Levine. Now, he was more then pissed due to the state the park was in, and how many employees he had been forced to lose today. They did not come cheap, however he was ready to cut his losses. The park had been too expensive, behind schedule and he was running out of patience. He wanted to make sure that there were no more interruptions. The dinosaurs were the main focus of his life's work. Biosyn should have had this technology years ago, and now the realization was almost in his grasp. He was sure that he would reap the profits that Hammond had failed to, even in his dying breath.

"Don't try anything cute," he remarked to them as he began to step behind them as he was about to march them out of the office. He knew of course that they could not do anything to hurt him. He was in full control of the situation, and he was going to enjoy it. He would even save that tape on the monitors of them getting run down and eaten by the prehistoric creatures. It would be a delight actually. He noticed they were slowing down…Levine was turning around. So he finally grew some balls to say one last insult? Rossiter was going to let him waste his breath, if that was what he wanted to do.

"You'll never get away with th-" Levine started to say before Rossiter pulled back the trigger.  
"Guess what-I already ha-"

Karen Sellers opened her eyes, and realized she wasn't dead. However, she was bleeding. A lot. Luckily what had staunched her wound were all these papers that had fallen out of a file on the fioor. Pressed against her body it helped to prevent her from bleeding out. She looked up, and saw Rossiter holding the others at gunpoint. He was visibly distracted, possibly enjoying the moment a little too much. Still on the floor, not daring to move, Karen looked around. Anything that could possibly be construed as a weapon. In an office that was difficult, but sometimes things were right there in front of you, ready at a moment's notice, she realized. Shit. No time, she thought as she got up, slowly as she could as to not make a sound. She looked, a drawer was still open, from when the men had been rummaging about. Boxcutter. She grabbed it without thinking.

Leaping at Rossiter from the back, Karen grabbed his shoulder, jabbing the boxcutter into the back of his hand .Rossiter screamed his earlier sentence being cut off as he dropped the gun as his hand spasmed. Rossiter instinctively jumped backwards, slamming her against the desk. Karen could feel herself being pushed, but by then she could see Finn making a dive for the gun. Rossiter tried to get up, but Levine was holding him in place. And currently struggling just to keep him there. He was too strong, for either of them, she realized even as she slammed the boxcutter against his back, trying to get him to move. He must be relying on adrenaline, she thought.

Still, she kept on pushing back, as Levine was struggling with the man, and Finn was holding the gun, seemingly shaking. She realized immediately the man had no damn clue. If Rossiter got the gun again, it was over, and they needed to do something quickly. "Back Wall," she said to Levine as she rolled over the desk as Levine pulled the man back. She got to her feet again as Rossiter was pushed again. "Give me that-" she said as she grabbed the gun away from Finn. He would have hurt someone. "Go cover Levine, he's about to get tackled." She could see that Rossiter was preparing to charge.

He was not one to go down easily. She fired, and the shot missed, richotecting against the wall, and she heard glass breaking. The shrieks were more intense, and she realized. The lizard-things were jumping up and down frantically in their cage now that the top portion was broken and caving in. She couldn't think about that because just then-Rossiter charged at Levine. The man was about to bowl over, and she couldn't fire. Finn was on him too, trying to pull him back. However the man was like a rabid animal. There was no stopping him at all, he was going to keep pressing forward until they are dead. They could not afford to hold back at all, and she realized that, better then any of them. That was why….

She cracked him over the head with the butt of the pistol. He grunted, and slumped slightly but did not fall. He was resisting, dragging in as he was trying to shake them off. He was willing to go far-how far? Levine suddenly took advantage of the slump to push him back again, and Finn tripped as he held the man's arms still locked in his grip. Twisting, they both fell, Finn's body weight preventing Rossiter from getting up. Karen ran closer as she saw it- Rossiter's face was partially smashed into the hole created by the gunshot from earlier. There was blood all over his face, cuts sustained from smashing into and from cut glass. He was trying to get up, but Finn was on him.

"No-" Karen said suddenly, as she pulled Finn off. She could see keys clipped to Rossiter's belt, and pocketed them. "Go-let me handle this," she said as she saw the men back up. The lizards were shrieking, and she saw they were slowly inching towards the man. She held Rossiter's head down, as she saw he was trying to get up. Stepping on his kneeling leg, she was able to seize the muscle up. He couldn't move now, as the lizards ran closer. He struggled, but with his head down, he couldn't get up. Rossiter screamed as the lizards chirping intensified. She could feel her grip loosening, but she looked at them. Then looked back down at the man struggling to get up. His screams got louder.

The compys shrieked as they darted in and out, hesitant at first but more bold. The man was still screaming, but in the end, he was defenceless as they kept at it. Karen held down for what seemed like forever, feeling her arms beginning to tire after the seemingly endless attempt by the man to get up. However she could feel him struggling less and less, his muscles were slacking… There was one scream, one final scream, and the the man slumped forward. Karen stepped back as she saw the compy staring at her from the glass case. It had an eyeball in its mouth, shaking it as it looked up at her. She turned away, visibly sick. "We're getting out of here," she said holding up the keys. "Right-****ing now." She walked past the pair of them, ignoring their stunned silence.


	35. Laws of Nature

Levine stepped back, shocked…Rossiter had been their last obstacle to leaving, but of course he had never thought it would go down like this. The brutality of it, it lingered. He had seen death before, people being eaten alive by dinosaurs in two separate events. This was different though, and he felt like he might retch. He staggered as he backed up, finding the trash can. Feeling sick, Levine vomited into the can until he could feel he had no more. He shook his head, looking for a water to get this taste out of his mouth. He knew they should get going but for now he needed to get this stench out… As he reached for a water bottle on the other side, he nearly tripped, and looked down.

The papers from the file from earlier. 'Asset Research and Analysis'….he saw they were strewn around the floor in a disorganized fashion. They must have fallen when Rossiter had come in… he could hear chirps from behind him and saw Finn looking that way too. He had no clue when they would eventually eat their way out, but they should be out of the room by then. They needed to be. The papers were covered in blood, he prodded some free with his feet, and saw to his dismay that they were drenched. Illegible…ruined. Whatever chance he had to find out more about Biosyn's cloning process probably died with Rossiter, he thought. He could hear Finn in the corner of his ear nudging his shoulder, urging him to move.

Levine could see the security feed on Rossiter's monitor, some of the personal were heading towards the control room. Outside, there were others in the park he could see through the cameras, they were hugging the wall walking towards the other garage, as the Rex and the Carnotaur circled each other in the distance. Roaring over a contest of territory. They would be fenced in on both sides again, and he knew that with Rossiter dead, there was nothing keeping them from just killing them. He would have liked to have time to look at the computer, -his computer- he realized angrily. His computers that had been stolen from him when Biosyn had kidnapped him…. He remembered long ago, that day in the convenience store on Isla Sorna.

All these computers in the control room…. Probably linked to this one. Everything password protected, but what if there was a system failure of the main computer? Levine grabbed the monitor suddenly almost calmly, and threw it across the room. The cords popped as they snapped out of the back. It hit a wall and fizzled slightly, the screen cracked. Levine grabbed the bottle of water and poured the contents over the hard drive, hearing a satisfying crackle as the damn thing started frying. He kicked the desk over, it landed at the feet of the kneeling corpse across the room. Found the cables that went into the ground and pulled them out. It was a goddam mess now. He then saw the file cabinets…

Levine was about to open one, when he saw there was a solitary sheet of paper on the floor, must have fallen loose when he had kicked the desk. "Here take it," he said to Finn as he grabbed the file cabinet, and just started dumping the files on the floor haphazardly. So many files, he thought as he watched them fall. It would have taken him forever to try to figure out what else might be useful. If only he had time. But now he did not.

He kicked the papers aside, making another mess as he spilled water all over it haphazardly. Nice try fixing that, he thought as he walked back through the now chaotic room. Breathing heavily as he thought it should be done. It would help a lot, because …. He had seen her on the monitor just before he had destroyed it. Karen Sellers standing alone in the control room. "I think I'm done here," he said looking at Finn as he walked out. "I think we won't have to wait long for her-she's got the keys anyways," he said as he closed the door.

Karen Sellers looked up at the control room, the blood on her hands seeping down onto the desk. She felt as if she had run a marathon, her adrenaline was pumping. She had just killed her boss….but yet she felt nothing. Calm, relief, fear? Nothing…. There was nothing at all but a void. She took a deep breath, it did not help at all. She shook her head, trying to compose her thoughts. It was necessary of course. It had always been necessary, and she was lying to herself if she thought otherwise. Rossiter had forced the confrontation in the end. She realized that, but it did not erase what she had done. She turned, facing the console as she looked at the row of computers. The keys jangling at her side. She could leave now if she wanted. But why? This would all still be here, once the rest of the staff got back they could fix everything from scratch.

She looked up at the monitors, seeing the animals roaming around the park. They were intermingling now, as they were never meant to. They never had control, it was the illusion, she realized. She should have realized that earlier, but had learned the hard way. When she had seen animals that were never supposed to be here. That Biosyn had not even –made-. It was a preserve, but their animals were not unique, not the way she thought they were. 'Jurassic World', what a terrible name, she realized. Sixty-Five million years, and they still had not learned a damn thing. Not a single damn thing, she thought. She shook her head.

They would be coming soon, and she had to hurry. But she had the key, and knew there were shortcuts. Taking the keyring, she saw a flash drive. She yanked it off fast, and put it into the usb. The external drive had a workaround to the passwords on this system, not a design flaw but a convenience. Meant so that Rossiter would not have to remember any passwords or consult others when he wanted to inspect the system. As she watched the computer boot up, she saw the command to route auxiliary power through the monitor. She pressed it. Immediately she saw the other computers power off, the blinking icon on her monitor indicating that the main server had been severed. She let a small smile escape. Levine. Smarter then she thought. Saved her from having to do it herself.

Now this was the only functioning terminal, because when she had by passed the system, the computer had become the main terminal by proxy. For as long as she had the usb in. She had to work quick, as it was still tapped into the mainframe. And the screens above showing the camera system showed staff converging on her position. Let them come, she thought as she saw there were some outside too. She had been planning to anyways, but she typed in the administrator access code. A pop up alerted her.

"Do you wish to proceed with administrator access? Changes made can only be undone by repetition of administrator password."  
She typed "yes" and came to another screen which read  
Admin actions:  
Main Pwr On/off  
Fences on/off  
Garage/on/off (indicate 'off' when ready for guest/staff arrival)  
Loading Bay/ on/off (Wrning, 'off' to loading bay indicates loading ready)  
Sonic systems on/off

Karen typed "off" to all, and then waited a bit. The computer seemed like it froze, but it did not….she stepped back, hearing a slight click as the door opened. Not because it was pushed, but because it wasn't locked anymore. She took the usb with her as she ran back, knowing that it would be a matter of minutes but it wouldn't matter. This place was a dream, but she didn't care about the dream. She felt a dull pain in her side, as she was bleeding still. Couldn't stop, had to keep going no matter what, she thought as she forced herself forward. There was a sound she could hear above as she heard the garage ahead opening. Rossiter's private garage…. She smiled. Almost there.

Finn and Levine had found Rossiter's garage…or more accurate to say, a loading bay. It was huge, the ceiling must reach as high as the walls Finn had glimpsed from outside with Muldoon. Two jeeps were parked to the side,next to a ramp leading out. This must be where they brought the animals in, he thought as he got into the car sitting in the driver's seat. As he sat, he heard a rumble and saw two lights flickering on the wall in front of them. Slowly he could see a seam and realized it was coming from both directions. Front…and back of them. The exit was right there in front of them after all this time….Levine also got in and slammed the door. Finn looked down…no key.

He looked around, towards the door, and saw it opening. She was coming, he realized, but that meant the others were probably not far away. "Hurry," he said as he waved her to speed up, but she was clearly limping. Injured. The doors were moving faster, and he needed to get out. However he knew that the rest of the staff here probably were in pursuit of them. They needed to escape, and soon. She was almost there, and as she got closer, she threw the keys. He grabbed them, turning on the engine, making sure it worked. After a second, the engine began to purr, and he smiled as he moved it into gear. Levine unbuckled his seat belt, moved over to help her out. He pulled her in, just as the doors began to open behind them. Finn could see in the mirror, the first wave of people beginning to appear trying to slide past as the doors opened.

He wasted no time, gunning the engines as he saw the front doors open. There was a grunt as Karen fell into the backseat, and Levine was holding on as they drove. "Hold on," he muttered as he barreled through, the jeep crashing through the guard gates as they passed. For a second he thought they were not going to be able to get through it, but the jeep held, as the car rushed out past the barriers. They needed to get far away from here…. but he noticed as Levine put his hand on his shoulder, no words needed. No cars. No other cars…. He turned and looked behind him as he wondered why. Didn't make sense, they should be being pursued right now.

As he stopped the car, he saw it, the staff running through the doors-and immediately taking a left, getting to the open door that Karen had come through in the garage. The reason for that was clear as the last person came through and dove in, slamming it shut. There was a roar as a large animal came into view. Finn was about to gun it when Levine shook his head. As he watched, more came out behind it, each as large as the first, three horns on each of their heads. "Triceratops," Levine said, explaining to him. "Only aggressive if you approach them but we're far enough away…" He seemed fascinated. "Drive a bit more out, then put us at a safe distance," Levine. Finn had no idea what the hell he meant by a 'safe distance' but he was sure that after today he would find a new job. He put his foot to the pedal as he drove a few more feet, and then turned the car sideways.

The Trikes led the exit with a gallop as they dispersed. Breaking even more of the fencing as they exited the gigantic structure. "Now I think we'll see something really interesting," Levine said as he leaned forward in his seat. Finn gave him a look, taking a breath as he stared forward. The Triceratops began to move now, they were all clear of the structure, and moving as a herd towards them. He waited a beat. The tall animals came after, also in a herd, they sprinted out. Like the Triceratops, they did not hesitate, the Gallimimus dispersed also, however going a different direction then the first wave of animals. Finn was fascinated.

He waited a bit more, as more animals came out. The dome-heads he had seen earlier, they were out now too, but this time hesitant. They were looking around as if wary, watchful. They ran off, but instead of together in two separate groups. Opposite directions too. Finn frowned looking at Levine, but the man looked like he expected this. They waited a bit more, and nothing. Nothing at all. "Shouldn't the rest be running out the gates? They're free for the first time in their lives." Finn muttered. He was thinking about how it didn't make that much sense, but hopefully Levine could shed some light on that.

"You ever train a pidgeon?" Levine asked as he looked at Finn. "If you shock the cage, the bird learns its lesson, won't try again. Not even if you leave the door open. Some will leave, some will stay….for how long I don't know, but eventually they'll leave. The door is open, and probably will be open for a week or so. They can't close it now, not without a lot of help. And without their sonics, without the fencing, they cant guarantee that the animals will stay there while they get it done." He had a half smile on his face as he said that, it was one of relief, but also one of sadness. How long had he been kept up in there? How many nights of being trapped within these walls? To taste freedom again…

"Look," Levine said again, distracting him. There was a loud roar as a shadow seemed to block the giant doorway. It was the Tyrannosaur. Walking slowly forward as it faced the sunlight roaring in defiance. It walked forward warily, taking in the sudden expansion of its roaming area. It was huge, he could see that better now. And now that it was free of the structure. It took a few steps, and for a minute Finn was afraid it would see them. He was prepared to hit the gas. However, it turned its head, and he saw what had caught its attention-the flock of Gallimimus from earlier. It roared again, as the animal began to pursue the fleeing herbivores. Opposite direction, Finn thought as he sat back. He looked up at Levine, and received a nod in return. They were done here, he thought as he put the car back into gear and got back onto the road.

As they drove he looked back one last time, watching the dinosaurs roam around in their newfound freedom. Finn was curious. "So the dinosaurs…will they survive outside the preserve?" Inside, they had seemed to have thrived, at least according to his limited time in it, however now was extremely difficult to tell how it would go, especially as he heard the roar of the Tyrannosaur behind him. "The anomalies…I get how they were able to stay hidden. But these won't be. They'll be seen," he said as he looked at Levine as they got back on the road. He was still deciding whether to put music on or not but decided not too. The woman in the back, she hadn't said anything, he thought she was sleeping. Maybe. Maybe not, he would rather not think about it. It was far to a hospital.  
Levine looked out the side of the car, sighing as he took the paper in his hand. "Hard to say. Really it is. This is pushing it for staying under the radar as far as your anomalies go. We're in Northern Mexico, I believe you said-which means that soon. Could be next week ,could be next year…the anomalies will be in the States. But the larger ones are out now. And they'll be noticed quicker. How quick is anyone's guess…but quick." He looked at the paper, now having a chance to read it now that he was not in an imminent threat of life or death situation. There had been a few things weighing on his mind, and now he had a chance to think it over.

The list of animals they had been using….that was the original Jurassic Park list, he realized now. They must have been working from the data recovered from his InGen computer. But the other animals in there…he recalled the gaps in the list. These had been Sorna animals. 'Abfm', it made sense….it was easier to clone from dna already present then attempt to rework Hammond's dream from scratch. Anyone probably could as they had the technology to do so. He turned to Finn as he shook his head. "Just drive to the nearest town. We ditch this car, and head for the border after that. I'm sick of this shit." He turned to look at the rear window. "Get her to a clinic, and we go after that."

Finn nodded, "so the cloning facility isn't important…" Levine shook his head. "All-right," Finn put the car into gear as Levine crumpled up the paper and threw it in the back. "Not important?" Finn asked as he looked back, as Levine leaned back in his seat. Apparently not, as Levine had stopped talking and waved him off. He was staring at the side mirror, just shaking his head. Finn wasn't sure what to think about that as he looked back at the rear view mirror, watching the valley fade behind them. They would be back in town soon, and he was hungry. It had been an eventful few days but he was glad it was over, he was relieved to say the least as he wiped sweat from his brow and turned his attention back to the road. When he got back to the states, he was going to get a cold beer. And find a new line of work. He was done with Dinosaurs for now. Although he figured he would be hearing about them very soon.

Karen Sellers drifted in and out of her dream. She had dreamt that she was far away from here, far away from everything. She felt so lightheaded, the bumps in the road did not register with her, as she heard the faint roars of the dinosaurs in the distance. It all seemed like it was happening to someone else, she thought as she lay down across the car seat with her face pressed against the side. As she drifted off again, a crunched up paper was thrown at her. She picked it up in a daze, feeling the words almost start to fade even as she read them. No, it wasn't the ink, it was her head, it felt so light…

Species: _Kelenken Gullermoi_  
Specimen first observed in Costa Rica shortly after date of Islamoya Incident  
Unknown if isolated specimen or multiple  
O R I GIN UN OW N. SO R R  
IFPOSSIBLE  
May-indi-ca-t-e –other ab sp. akin to Is-Incident  
Monitor Close-  
List of other species sight-

There was more. But she didn't read it. Car was shaking too much, and the call to sleep was strong. The paper fell out of her hand, and was caught up in the wind as the car moved on. The men's voice seemed to fade in the backround as she rolled so her back was on the car seat. It didn't really matter anymore did it? No she didnt think so- The last thought was drowned out as the Tyrannosaur roared one final time, free at last.


	36. Changing the Paradigm

Richard Levine stopped the car when he saw the headlights. Lights flashing on and off, in a never ending parade. The desert sun hit the back of his neck, he could feel it burning as he got out of the car. Overhead, there was the sound of helicopters, Sikorksys. Levine kicked the dirt as he slammed the door, turning his head away from the sun. He could see them now, the vehicles which had followed him. Army, Border Patrol, hell even the local police. It really was hot here, so hot he felt like he needed a drink. But that did not seem to faze the people around him, they were all intent. Serious. He turned back again, taking a breath as he turned his attention to where everyone was looking at.

To his left there was a huge stretch of road that had been cordoned off. The cars were flanking each section, and the helicopters were circling. The road led to an archway. Nogales-Grand Avenue port of Entry. Cross that arch and you were in Mexico. Where he had spent too much time. But he was here again, as he leaned against the car. A man in a black suit came up to him, he had been riding in one of the government vehicles. "We just received word from the Mexican side. It should be a half hour. Maybe less." Levine nodded as the man showed him a tracker, the radio beacon blinking on and off. Vaguely ominous, he thought numbly as he handed it back with a grunt.

As he did so, he heard a chime from his cell phone. He excused himself and stepped away for a second. Finn. They had parted ways after reaching Tijuana. He did feel bad about it. But burying a body in the Mexican desert did have an effect on someone no matter what else they had experienced in these months. And if someone were to find that upsetting, imagine coming back the next day to find it dug up. By someone. Or something. He put that out of his head. He answered the call. "Glad to see you, where are you now?" He asked as he looked back at the scene in front of him. He wondered if things would be normal again after Ismaloya, after Biosyn's failed attempt at Jurassic Park. Would it? He had no way of knowing at all. He could only hope. And pray. But he had stopped praying a long time ago.

"It's fine, I'm watching it on Tv," Finn replied from the other end of the line. His voice sounded nervous, a bit tense. That was to be expected, he had no clue of what he was getting into when he had started his crusade. And as with most people surrounding Ingen's creations, he had nearly paid the ultimate price. But it was not a secret anymore was it? No, after Biosyn's kidnapping he had taken matters into his own hands. "I saw your speech before the United Nations, that was something. It really was. Made the papers for weeks." Levine nodded, it really had been more attention then he had wanted. And for a few days, at first no one had wanted to believe. Until he had shown them proof.

"I'm getting royalties from the material you used in that Good Morning America special right?" Finn's Tone was joking, but he could tell it was serious. It had been serious. Levine looked to the left and right, checking his watch. Everyone was serious, and he had hoped Finn would get straight to the point. "Look, If your watching tv right now you know I don't have a lot of time-" he said, taking a breather, hoping he didn't come across as too rude. He had not meant to, but it was imperative that he made sure he was firm here. But Finn had called for something, he knew…. And he listened.

"I just called to say that I know, it wasn't right what happened at the end there." A pause, as if he was thinking. Levine was thinking too, as he kicked the dirt again in frustration. "All of them. Who died. Where does this end?" Levine took a breath, as he responded somewhat short. "I'd like to know that too Finn, that's why I came out and said it. So this shit ends. It stops hiding in the shadows. Because it would come to light eventually. At least now we have a chance at dealing with it. Not controlling it-that's impossible…but dealing with it." And they were. That was why all of this was here. That was why he was here. To deal with it. Maybe not the most subtle manner in which he could have gone, but it would do.

"Levine-anyways…I want to let you know-Im watching it on tv right now. They're showing a live feed of the Mexican side. They evacuated everyone-well almost everyone. Not everyone listened." Levine closed his eyes, picturing it in his head. Yes, this was what he had been worrying about. "The news is showing people on television now. People who claim to have previous encounters with dinosaurs-" Levine paused as he looked up. Was the noise from the helicopters getting louder? It was. It really was. He rubbed his eyes, the glare of the sub was too much. It was starting to give him a headache. And then there was this-"Marty Guitierrez, Sarah Harding, some paleontologist named Grant…"

Yes, it was all coming to light now, Levine thought as he stepped forward, the man in black was saying something. He had his hand on Levine's arm, and was gesturing towards the border crossing. "I'm going to have to call you back." He said abruptly as he hung up, turning to where the man was pointing. The army and the border patrol were starting to get more antsy it seemed, they were stepping back, and Levine was told in no uncertain terms that this was for everyone's safety.

Sure, everyone's safety he thought as he let the man pull him back. The army was already cordoning off the border. A row of cars was lining up on either side of the arch. Intended to force a path. It would not last, but it was not meant to. He saw the helicopters circling. The tv station logos on the sides. Yes this was going to make great television, it really would, and the only flaw in the logic would be where people miscalculated. Mis-stepped. They believed that they could contain it, and that was where it would go wrong. Man had been here for a few thousand years and undoubtedly would continue further. But no longer would he fear nothing, for progress was coming. And it was here. So let the tv cameras loop this to a live feed in San Diego. Watch it from the comfort of the home.

And as he watched, one of the Helicopters was landing. He held up his hand as the chopper came down, the wind beating against his head. The man in the suit next to him was talking into his iphone, kept looking back at him. Levine looked up, not recognizing it as one of the news choppers. Oh he recognized the logo all right. It was everywhere these days. A fact of life that could not be changed, couldn't turn a corner without seeing it. He was puzzled though, why this? And as the chopper landed to the left of him he realized he would get his answer soon. As soon as it landed the doors flew open even as the rotor blades begin slowing. A man got out, gesturing to him.

Levine couldn't hear what he wanted, but the intent was clear. He walked forward, got in the chopper. As soon as the door closed, the helicopter took off. He was alone in the cabin, except for the pilot, who he couldn't see from here. But he could still see the proceedings below. They were not high up, at least not that high. But certainly enough to be out of danger. He took a breath as he wondered what everyone would think at home, when they realized that it was no longer just a debate on tv. It was real. It was here, and it was not going to go away. Levine did not know yet if that was a good or bad thing. Either way, it was out in the open. No going back now.

As the chopper circled he could feel the electricity in the air. As he leaned forward he heard the sound of the cockpit door opening. The co-pilot seat was empty. "Live a little…the views better up here anyway," the pilot said as he turned his head to face Levine. Levine recognized the man, who appeared to be about mid-thirties and of Indian descent who had a neatly trimmed beard and mustache. He was dressed in a light gray suit with hints of a pink undershirt just beneath. Everyone these days had at least heard of him. Simon Masrani, the CEO of Masrani Global was flying the helicopter. Levine stood up and unbuckled his seat belt as he seated himself in the front.

He did not need an explanation. He had been summoned. For whatever reason. Masrani he knew was a tech and energy company. What interest could they have…in this? It was particularly fascinating. He was curious, but he suspected he would have his answer. "Well, got your invitation," he remarked as he looked forward. The radio static was getting slightly louder as the two men watched in silence. It felt like they were watching a birth of sorts, the dawn of a new age. But what lay beyond…was anyone's guess. But up here, he could see slightly beyond the border, the shadows moving, the people crowding…the same thing as on this side. It was all coming together, the world was watching.

Finally, Masrani broke the silence. "You know, I believed for a long time that it was a myth. Dinosaurs created in a lab. A fantastic dream," Levine stared at him as he spoke, wondering where this was leading. "But no more real then a story in a television show, or movie. It was too far-fetched…too out there." He paused, his hand on his beard as if considering his tale while he steered with one hand. There was a loud blast over the radio, very excited chatter. Levine was about to turn it off, but then he realized it was cheering. Excitement. Anticipation… and he looked at Masrani's face. That look on his face, he thought he could almost say it was…

A smile. "They realize it too," Masrani continued. "Something has survived, the eons and its going to change their world. Its going to change all of us. Just knowing that this technology exists, and that it can do wonders…miracles…. It will open the future." The helicopter flew around in a half-circle as they narrowed the gap. Levine leaned forward as he watched a shadow under the arch. It was there, he realized it too, right there on the border. Could not be the political boundary stopping it, no, he wondered if animals could sense it too, that sense of change in the air. The wind was changing, and he felt it. Slowly, the large animal took its first steps as the helicopter dipped lower to see it better.

The Tyrannosaur strode confidently through the archway, passing from Mexico to the United States. On either side immediately the news helicopters closed in, their sides showing the cameras affixed to the bottom to get a better view. Breaking news at 5, Levine thought. There was a sudden glare and he realized after a second what it was-the sudden cacophony of camera flashes on both sides, everyone wanting to record this moment. The Rex stopped again, sniffing the air. It looked on either side of it as if confused, although it had probably met with this reception at another scale on the opposite side. He wondered if it was sniffing for any change in the air.

"The future will look very different though," Levine said as he turned to face Masrani looking away from the Rex. He knew it, it all started with this feeling of change. That there would be something new. But he knew. He knew that this feeling was fleeting, that in this promise of change there held only people who did not know what that change would look like. They looked forward to what they could not anticipate. Could not visualize. Could not prepare for. And was that a future he wanted, thought…well, it was also true that he had perhaps been to exposed to this. Too cynical. Where others saw potential he saw only what happened after.

Sorna. Ismaloya. Mexico…all had left blood in their wake. But these had been incidents that had not left nearly as much impact. Of course they had all built up to this. It had probably been building up to this from the very beginning. Inevitable Ever since John Hammond had that dream, of recreating that Lost World. But it was not so Lost was it? No, it was decidedly not. "What future are you going to open?" Levine said as he shook his head. The incident with Biosyn had left him shaken. He did not think that he wanted to get involved any more then he had. But he had to this one time. Because it was his duty. Because in front of him, lay the fate that would have happened anyway. And it was his responsibility to clean up what he had started.

"You say you want this world. This world of hope and new opportunities. But with that comes…" he stretched for words as he looked down. The Rex was slowly walking down the path. Towards the new land. New territory. The last Tyrannosaur on earth. But it wasn't the last Dinosaur…he saw birds flying overhead, as they flew over the border just out of reach. Yes… "The future. But its already changed right? We changed it." Levine thought to himself…if he had not said anything how would this moment had gone. It could have gone a million different ways. But as he watched the birds fly over the horizon, he realized he would never know. Perhaps it was for the best. Maybe…. He sighed as he leaned back in the chair.

"The key to a happy life, is recognizing your never in control," Masrani suddenly interjected, which surprised him. He did not know why he should be so surprised, but he was. Maybe at the interruption, or maybe because he had not been expecting it. "Yes, life changes, yes the world changes…" Masrani turned to face him and there was an intensity in his eyes. But not one he recognized. It was different then that intensity he had seen in Hammond's, Muldoons, even Rossiter's. Very much so. "But can life evolve because it was expecting that change? Would I have made my way from nothing if I had been able to anticipate my struggles?" The man raised an eyebrow. "Maybe…but part of facing the change made us who we are. We grew due to having had to adapt. To evolve."

Levine looked back, meeting his gaze. Unsure what to say. The Rex he could see below them. Now they had circled again so that they were behind the far distance he could see the city lights. The Rex could see them too. The massive animal roared one. The bellow could be heard from the helicopter. It chilled him to the bone. Where did they go from here? Levine thought. Where did they go. He had no idea. And maybe Hammond was right. Maybe they had control. Maybe Malcom was right, they never had control. Or maybe Masrani was right. They never could truly prepare for anything in order to change. To evolve.

One thing was for certain. "This is the start of a paradigm shift, nothing will be the same, your fundamentally changing the system. The way we perceive the world…." He echoed Malcolm's words right there in the cockpit. It really was a very continental shift. The helicopter followed the Rex slowly staying well above its height. As it did, it was trailed by the other helicopters in formation. Three or four on each side. As it did, he could see several other specks further up the road. More of them. More choppers. All ready to greet the newest arrival. It was almost mythic. Masrani was focused, his eyes never leaving the Rex. When he spoke it seemed like the portent of a new age.

"Then our way of thinking will just have to change won't it?"


End file.
